A few years ago, the Genshin Impact community spent weeks debating how Rosaria’s chest mysteriously “shrank” after a patch — and ever since, fans have called any tweak to a character’s appearance a “nerf.” This time it’s not a neckline that got the treatment, but a nose — and not on a woman, but on one of Teyvat’s most prominent villains.
In June 2026, miHoYo showcased a presentation for Genshin Impact update 6.7 and a teaser for the upcoming 7.0 patch. Among the footage was an updated model of Pulcinella, the fifth Fatui Harbinger and mayor of Snezhnaya. Reddit users noticed that the character’s signature long nose had become noticeably shorter.
Quick facts:
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Pulcinella’s nose appears almost half its previous length in the new model;
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the shape and position of his ears were also slightly adjusted;
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the change was first spotted by Reddit user Soggy-Construction62;
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miHoYo has not officially commented on the redesign.
Table of Contents
What changed in Pulcinella’s model — and why it took a while to notice
The 6.7 and 7.0 presentations focused on the Snezhnaya region and new gameplay mechanics rather than individual NPC designs, so the model tweak only became visible once fans compared old and new footage frame by frame — which is exactly what the Reddit community did.
Why the long nose mattered to the character’s design
Pulcinella’s name comes from a mask in Italian commedia dell’arte — traditionally a hunched servant with a long, hooked nose. Genshin Impact’s developers deliberately carried that trait into the Harbinger’s design: his short stature and elongated nose were a direct nod to the theatrical character he’s based on. So this isn’t a random proportion tweak — it’s a change to one of the design details that tied the character to his cultural roots.
Not the first “nerf” in Genshin Impact: precedents with other characters
Pulcinella’s case continues a long-running pattern of miHoYo adjusting character appearances after release.
| Character | What changed | When |
|---|---|---|
| Rosaria | Bust size reduced, covered-up alternate outfit added | Patches 1.4 and 2.4 |
| Jean | Alternate outfit covering her cleavage | Patch 2.4 |
| Mona | Alternate outfit covering her midriff | Patch 2.4 |
| Amber | Minor cleavage adjustment in alternate outfit | Patch 2.4 |
| Pulcinella | Nose shortened, ears adjusted | 6.7 presentation / 7.0 teaser |
Earlier tweaks were usually linked to Chinese content regulations: on the mainland server, redesigned models became mandatory, while on the global server they stayed optional alternate outfits. Pulcinella’s case breaks that pattern — he’s a male character, and the change affects his face rather than how revealing his outfit is — so there’s no official explanation yet.
How the community reacted to Pulcinella’s new nose
The reaction was more playful than outraged: commenters joked that “length isn’t everything,” while another fan compared him to Pinocchio and suggested he start lying more so his nose grows back. For Genshin Impact fans, jokes like these are the usual way of processing any visual tweak to a character.
When does Genshin Impact 7.0 launch, and what does Snezhnaya have to do with it
The Pulcinella model change surfaced as miHoYo prepares for one of the most anticipated updates in the game’s history. Version 7.0, featuring Snezhnaya — the last major region in the main story — is set to launch on August 12, 2026, with miHoYo skipping version 6.8 entirely to go straight from 6.7 to 7.0. As Snezhnaya’s mayor, Pulcinella will almost certainly get far more screen time once the region launches, so this redesigned model is probably not the last detail fans pick apart before release.
What players should keep in mind right now:
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the change hasn’t been confirmed in an official patch note — it’s based only on comparing footage from presentations;
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it has no impact on gameplay or story; Pulcinella remains an NPC;
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expect more details about the Harbinger’s final look closer to August 12.
Pulcinella’s nose is a minor detail next to the Snezhnaya launch, but it points to something bigger: reworking character appearances has long stopped being a one-off response to a single heroine and has become a recurring practice that now reaches secondary NPCs and male characters alike. The closer a major region gets to release, the more actively miHoYo seems to “tidy up” older models — and Snezhnaya will likely bring a few more surprises like this one.
