Talk about a blast from the past, am I right? As we’re deep in 2026—yep, Genshin Impact has already blown out six candles—it’s wild to look back at the banners that shaped our early spiral abyss runs. One that still gets people chattering is the second half of Version 2.7, which dropped way back in June 2022. For a quick reality check, that patch was an absolute rollercoaster, but this rerun banner? Pure hype fuel. Let’s dive into the deets like it’s fresh out of the oven, with all the sass and pizzazz it deserves.

The Banner That Had Everyone Shook 📅

Back then, miHoYo (now Hoyoverse for all you new Travelers) dropped the banner on June 21st at the usual 18:00 server time. Global players had to do some mental gymnastics with time zones, so here’s a throwback to those sweet countdown moments:

No cap, the community was hitting that refresh button harder than a Ruin Guard’s spin attack. The server ticked over, and boom—Oni’s Royale went live. It was a solo rerun for the one and only Arataki Itto, the 5-star Geo claymore himbo extraordinaire. If you missed his first run, this was your golden ticket to bonk city. But the real tea? The 4-star lineup was straight fire.

Meet the 4-Star MVPs 🔥

If there’s one thing Genshin players know, it’s that a banner lives and dies by its 4-star supports. This one? An absolute W. Check out the squad:

• Kuki Shinobu – The brand-new 4-star Electro healer who had everyone theorycrafting until 3 AM. She scaled with EM before Dendro even existed, talk about ahead of her time. Fast forward to 2026, she’s still a meta staple in hyperbloom teams. Back in 2.7, people were pulling for her just for the vibe—goth ninja with a sick idle animation? Say less.

• Chongyun – Cryo claymore lad, exorcist extraordinaire. His consistent Cryo infusion was a lowkey cheat code for national team variants. By 2026, he’s a bit of a hidden gem, but bro never stopped being cool.

• Gorou – The furry general who made mono-Geo comps sing. Pair him with Itto and Albedo, and you’d see damage numbers that made your eyes water. Still a top-tier support for anyone rocking a Geo carry.

The real star of the show for many was Kuki Shinobu. Her release felt like a chef’s kiss moment—finally, a healer who didn’t demand field time and could proc reactions like nobody’s business. Little did we know, Dendro would come knocking in 3.0 and turn her into an absolute unit. Hindsight is 20/20, but back then, pulling for her felt like a smart gamble. Spoiler: it paid off big time.

The Weapon Banner – A Double-Edged Claymore 🗡️

Now, the weapon banner. Let’s be real, it was a mixed bag. Unlike the first half of 2.7 which gave us a fresh 5-star (Yelan’s Aqua Simulacra), this one was rerun city. The featured 5-star weapons:

• Redhorn Stonethrasher (5-star Claymore) – Itto’s signature beatstick. That massive CRIT DMG substat and DEF-scaling passive made Itto hit like a truck full of bricks. If you were maining Itto, this was the copium cure.

• Memory of Dust (5-star Catalyst) – A shield-reliant stat stick that aged like milk for most catalysts, but hey, Ningguang mains found some use.

And the 4-star lineup:

• Lithic Blade (Claymore) – Liyue-themed, decent in mono-Liyue teams.

• Lion’s Roar (Sword) – Solid for Electro-charged comps, especially Keqing.

• Dragon’s Bane (Polearm) – An EM powerhouse that would later become Hu Tao’s bestie.

• Sacrificial Fragments (Catalyst) – Sucrose’s bread and butter, skill reset for days.

• The Stringless (Bow) – Venti/Fischl’s jam, boosting skill & burst DMG.

Was it the most cracked weapon banner ever? Nah. But snagging Redhorn was a legit game-changer if you had Itto. Otherwise, a lot of us sat on our Primogems and prayed for a rerun of Staff of Homa. Still, it had that “one good reason to pull” energy that kept wish screens glowing.

Why This Banner Still Slaps in 2026 💥

Looking back, this banner was a perfect snapshot of Genshin’s mid-year momentum. It gave us Kuki’s debut, a strong Itto rerun, and a weapons lineup that, while not ground-breaking, had hidden gems. In 2026, with Natlan and beyond on the horizon, players still reminisce about how these 2.x patches built the foundation for today’s endgame. The 2.7 delay drama, the Chasm lore, and this banner dropping right after—it was a vibe.

So, whether you’re a Day 1 Traveler or a newbie who just pulled Itto from a chronicled wish, raise a glass (or a Lavender Melon drink) to that one banner that gave us the electro healer queen and a whole lot of oni pride. Stay pogging, folks.