Recent estimates circulating around the upcoming Genshin Impact Version 7.3 update paint a familiar and frustrating picture for free-to-play players. With the patch expected around mid-December 2026 and the long-awaited Cryo Archon Anastasya (the Tsaritsa) headlining Phase 1 alongside Danica, the projected free Primogem haul remains stingy by any reasonable standard.

Calculations based on remaining Version 7.2 content from early November put the free-to-play total at roughly 8,180 Primogems by the December 16 launch window. That works out to about 51 pulls. Even stretching the timeline to Phase 2 only pushes the number into the mid-70s at best, and those figures deliberately exclude full exploration, story rewards, and the new 7.3 events themselves. In practice, most players will land even lower once real life and incomplete clears are factored in.

For context, hard pity sits at 90 pulls and soft pity begins around the mid-70s. A pure free-to-play account starting from zero therefore has no realistic path to a guaranteed featured 5-star without months of prior saving or a lucky early win. The system is working exactly as designed: major region-defining characters like the final Archon arrive when player savings are most depleted, and the free economy is calibrated to leave almost everyone short.

  • Daily commissions still form the bulk of reliable income, but 60 Primogems a day is a drop in the bucket against a 14,400-Primogem pity wall.
  • Endgame modes such as Spiral Abyss and Imaginarium Theater remain capped and time-gated, rewarding only the most dedicated players with consistent clears.
  • Livestream codes and maintenance compensation continue to be token amounts that feel more like marketing than meaningful support.

This pattern has repeated across multiple patches. HoYoverse delivers a highly anticipated character, releases a modest Primogem schedule, and then relies on the Welkin Moon, Battle Pass, and direct top-ups to bridge the gap. The result is a free-to-play experience that functions more as a long-term advertisement for spending than a complete game. Players who want the Tsaritsa without opening their wallets are once again left hoping for extreme luck or accepting that they will simply miss out.

Version 7.3 may bring new story content, a fresh region expansion, and the conclusion of the Snezhnaya arc, but the underlying reward structure shows little sign of change. The numbers speak for themselves: when the most important character in years arrives, free players are still expected to scrape by on a handful of pulls and hope the pity system is kind.