If you’re a fan of both Horizon Zero Dawn and Genshin Impact, you’ve almost certainly asked at some point: can i get aloy in genshin impact? The cryo bow user was one of the first official crossover characters added to the game, and her unique kit and iconic design made her a fan favorite the second she was announced. I remember logging on the second her drop went live to claim her for free, and she stayed on my main exploration team for almost six months because of how well her charged shot works for breaking shields and lighting torches across Teyvat. But if you started playing after her initial release window, you might be confused about whether she’s still accessible for new accounts.
Can I Get Aloy in Genshin Impact Right Now?
The short answer for anyone looking to add her to their roster today is no, unless you already claimed her during her original release window. Aloy first launched in September 2021 as part of the Genshin Impact 2.1 update, in a crossover promotion tied to the Horizon Forbidden West release and PlayStation 5 launch. She was available for free to all PlayStation 4 and 5 players first, then rolled out as a free login reward for all PC, mobile, and Nintendo Switch players for the duration of the 2.1 and 2.2 patches.
As of the latest Genshin Impact patch, there is no active way to obtain Aloy for new or returning players who missed her initial release. She has not been added to the standard Wanderlust Invocation banner, she’s not available as a limited event banner re-run, and she’s never been included as a reward for any in-game event since her original drop. If you regularly search for can i get aloy in genshin impact on official forums or social media, you’ll see that thousands of other players have the same question, but HoYoverse has stayed quiet about any potential re-run plans.
I have a friend who started playing Genshin last year, and she was crushed when she found out she missed the only chance to get Aloy so far, since she’s played through both Horizon games three times each. It’s a bummer for crossover fans, but there are still plenty of great cryo characters to fill the gap if you missed out.
What Made Aloy’s Genshin Impact Release So Unique?
Aloy’s run in Genshin was unlike any other character release before or since, for a lot of good reasons. First, she was the first full crossover character added to the game that wasn’t tied to another HoYoverse property. The collaboration with Sony and Guerrilla Games was a huge win for both franchises, and it brought a lot of new Horizon fans into the Genshin community for the first time.
Aloy is the only Genshin Impact character to date that is completely free for all players with no gacha pull requirement during her release. You didn’t have to save up primogems, you didn’t have to win a 50/50, you just had to log in any time during her two-patch release window and claim her from your in-game mail. She also came at no cost to your storage or adventure rank requirements, even players who had just started the game and hadn’t left Mondstadt could claim her.
Another quirk of her release is that she has no unlockable constellations, even for players who got her during her run. Most Genshin characters let you pull extra copies to unlock powerful passive bonuses, but Aloy only ever had her base kit available. She also has no dedicated story quest, and very few voice lines that reference the world of Teyvat, which makes her a fun but lore-neutral addition to any roster.
Is There Any Chance Aloy Will Return to Genshin Impact Later?
Right now, there’s no confirmed answer to this question, but there are a few factors that make a re-run unlikely in the near future. Most cross-brand promotional collaborations like this have limited license terms, meaning HoYoverse can only use Aloy’s character for a set period of time unless they renegotiate the deal with Sony and Guerrilla Games. There hasn’t been any major new Horizon release or promotion since Forbidden West launched in 2022, so there’s not a natural reason for the companies to partner up again for a re-run right now.
There has been no official announcement from HoYoverse about a potential Aloy re-run, so players should not hold off on building other cryo bow characters in hopes of getting her later. HoYoverse rarely comments on future character plans more than two patches in advance, so if a re-run does get announced, it will likely only be a few weeks before she goes live again.
If you wanted Aloy for a specific team role, these characters are great alternatives to build instead:
- Freeze team main DPS: Ganyu is the best option here, with charged cryo shots that deal far more damage than Aloy’s and fit perfectly into most freeze comps. She’s available on limited banner re-runs every 12 to 18 months, so you won’t have to wait too long to get her if she’s not already on your roster.
- Free-to-play exploration support: Diona is a 4-star cryo bow user you can get from standard banners or event rewards, with healing and shielding that makes exploration far easier. Her charged cryo shot works just as well as Aloy’s for breaking pyro shields and lighting cryo totems across the map.
- Off-field cryo applicator: Layla, while a sword user, offers consistent off-field cryo application and a strong shield that works for almost any team that needs cryo support. She’s often available for free during limited events, so most free-to-play players already have her built and ready to go.
What Should You Do If You Missed Out on Aloy?
First, don’t panic, because Aloy is not a meta-defining character by any stretch. Most veteran players who have her don’t use her in endgame content, since there are far stronger cryo options available for both DPS and support roles. She’s a fun character to have for collection purposes or for roleplaying, but you won’t be locked out of any content just because you don’t have her on your roster.
Aloy does not lock any content, story quests, or achievements behind her, so missing her does not impact your ability to 100% complete Genshin Impact. There are no puzzles that require her specific kit, no quests that only trigger if you have her in your party, and no hidden rewards that are only accessible to players who claimed her during her release window.
If you’re a huge Horizon fan and you’re really disappointed about missing her, you can keep an eye on official HoYoverse social media accounts and patch notes for any future crossover announcements. If a new Horizon game gets announced, or if Genshin runs a special anniversary event focused on past collaborations, there’s a small chance she could come back. Until then, you can always pick up Horizon Zero Dawn or Forbidden West to play as Aloy in her original game world.
At the end of the day, the answer to can i get aloy in genshin impact is a little complicated if you missed her original release window, but it’s not the end of the world for your Genshin experience. She’s a fun character with a cool design and a nostalgic callback to one of the best open world games of the last decade, but she’s far from a requirement for any content in the game. If HoYoverse ever announces a re-run, we’ll update this guide immediately with all the details you need to claim her. Until then, you can try out one of the alternative cryo characters we mentioned, or spend some time building the other free characters you get from events and quest rewards.