A certain Proxy logged into Zenless Zone Zero after the 2.3 update and spotted Vivian in a daring new swimsuit, the Iris of the Shore outfit. It looked generous, but the word 'free' came with a catch sharp enough to slice through a Hollow. The question that spread through the community was simple. Was this skin actually free, or was it a cleverly disguised pull sink?
The Promise
During updates 2.3 and 2.4, a player who completed 180 pulls on limited banners could unlock Vivian's Iris of the Shore skin without spending money directly on the outfit. That number was not random. At maximum pity, 180 pulls could guarantee two S-rank characters. In other words, HoYoverse asked players to spend the same amount of currency that might otherwise secure two limited agents.
The Fine Print
Only Encrypted Master Tapes counted. Standard banner pulls and Bangboo banner pulls contributed nothing. If a Proxy had been throwing tapes at the standard channel or saving for a rerun, they could suddenly find themselves nowhere near the threshold. And because the offer spanned only updates 2.3 and 2.4, the window was narrow. Vivian's swimsuit also arrived months after summer ended and long after the other two matching skins, which left some players scratching their heads.
Those who missed the free route could buy the skin later in the store. A typical S-rank skin cost 1,680 Monochrome, which translated to 1,680 Polychrome and about $29.99. That was roughly ten pulls plus 80 leftover. Compared with buying 180 pulls, it looked almost reasonable. But the free route was not cheap.
| Route | Cost | What It Actually Means |
|---|---|---|
| Limited pull milestone | 180 Encrypted Master Tapes | Equivalent to two guaranteed S-rank characters |
| Store purchase later | 1,680 Monochrome | About 1,680 Polychrome / $29.99 |
| Buying pulls from zero | 28,800 Polychrome | About $361.93 using available packs |
If a player started with zero Polychrome, reaching 180 pulls meant 28,800 Polychrome. The closest purchase combination was three 6,480 packs, two 1,980 packs, and two 60 packs, totaling 28,840 Polychrome for $361.93, with 40 leftover. That was no small sum for a skin that was supposed to be 'free'.
A Sharper Contrast
Meanwhile, Komano Manato received a shiny silver skin from an event at truly zero cost, along with a copy of the character. That made the difference even starker. One agent strolled out of an event with a new look for nothing, while Vivian's outfit sat behind a 180-pull milestone or a paid store route.
Is It Worth It?
Should a Proxy burn 180 limited pulls just for a swimsuit? It depends. If the 2.3 banners for Lucia and Yidhari, two Spook Shack members with designs similar to Yixuan, did not appeal, then pulling was hard. If the second half featured reruns of Vivian herself and Ju Fufu, and a player already had them, the decision became even more painful. The 2.4 lineup was unknown at the time, so there was hope, but hope did not fill a Polychrome wallet.
For anyone determined, every Polychrome counted. Event rewards and Zenless Zone Zero redemption codes became tiny lifelines. But even then, the math remained brutal. So, was it free? Only in the same way that a free dessert is free after someone buys a hundred dinners.