The December 19, 2026 Identity V livestream unveils Chinese New Year 2026 content: Frost S-Tier Wu Chang skin and Frozen Core A-Tier accessory. This guide covers stream prep, confirmed Illusion Hall rotations (December 2026-April 2026), and echo budgeting. With 12+ limited costumes rotating and total echo requirements of 35,000-45,000 for complete collection, strategic planning is essential.
December 19 CNY Stream: Viewing Checklist
The December 19 stream reveals CNY 2026 content, providing exact release dates, pricing, and rotation schedules critical for echo budgeting.
Pre-Stream Prep:
Verify Muse Mark level 1 status (top-right corner, home screen) for Illusion Hall access
Complete tutorial missions if unqualified—Illusion Hall is the primary CNY skin distribution channel
Secure echo reserves for first-week discounts via Identity V Echoes top up on BitTopup
Stream Rewards: Redemption codes drop throughout broadcast offering free Inspirations, Fragments, and profile accessories. Codes expire within 48-72 hours—redeem immediately. Beyond codes, the stream confirms whether Frost Wu Chang enters Illusion Hall immediately or follows delayed release, directly impacting spending timelines.
CNY 2026 Frost Wu Chang Analysis
Frost S-Tier Wu Chang is the CNY 2026 flagship. Wu Chang's dual-character design delivers two complete visual overhauls (White Guard + Black Guard) for one echo investment.
Pricing:
Frost Wu Chang S-Tier: 2,888 Echoes (fixed, no discount)
Frozen Core A-Tier accessory: 1,388 Echoes (1,178 first week, saves 210)
Complete set: 4,066-4,276 Echoes
Direct purchase beats essence pulls. S-Tier pull rates of 1.5-2% require 150-250 pulls (15,000-25,000 Echoes). Direct purchase eliminates RNG and saves 10,000+ Echoes.
Illusion Hall Rotation: December 2025-April 2026
December 2025:
Dec 18: Wintry Wish A-Tier Soul Weaver (1,388/1,178 first week)
Dec 25: Mr. Hyde A-Tier Nightmare (1,388/1,178)
Dec 30: Lock Core A-Tier Mechanic + Desire in a Box B-Tier accessory
Dec 31: Femme Fatale A-Tier Dream Witch + Werther A-Tier Lawyer
January 2026:
Jan 1: BLK.ELI A-Tier Seer + Hearts Aligned S-Tier accessory (1,388 for accessory)
Jan 1: Trembling Chord A-Tier Prisoner (Golden Apple Exchange alternative)
Jan 8: The Parish Boy A-Tier Acrobat
Jan 15: So Long at the Fair A-Tier Barmaid
Jan 22: Edward Beneath the Crown A-Tier Knight
April 2026:
Apr 2: Dazzling Lone Wolf A-Tier Prospector + Dazzling Glory S-Tier accessory + Mario B-Tier pet
January 1 rotation coincides with echo recharge reset (double rewards, 24 hours from 00:00 UTC+8). Optimal timing for large purchases—doubled first-purchase bonuses plus first-week discounts on BLK.ELI and Hearts Aligned.
Buy Identity V Echoes recharge online before January 1 reset via BitTopup for instant balance updates and discount access.
Echo Budget Planner: Strategic Allocation
Total echo requirement for December 2025-April 2026: 35,000-45,000 Echoes—14-18x typical F2P monthly income.
Cost Structure:
A-Tier costumes: 1,388 (1,178 first week)
S-Tier costumes: 2,888 (no discount)
S-Tier accessories: 1,388 (1,178 first week)
B-Tier accessories: 688
B-Tier pets: 388
December-January period alone demands 11,104-12,504 Echoes for all items (assumes first-week discounts). Missing first-week windows adds 210 Echoes per A-Tier item—2,100+ across ten releases.
F2P Monthly Income: 1,500-2,500 Echoes
Logic Path: 1,000-1,200
Daily missions: 300-500
Events: 500-800
F2P income supports 1-2 A-Tier items monthly. Complete CNY collection requires 30,000-40,000 supplemental Echoes.
Budgeting Mistakes to Avoid
Essence Pulls vs. Direct Purchase: A-Tier pull rates: 7-9% for complete pool, 3.5-4.5% for specific items. Requires 25-40 pulls (2,500-4,000 Echoes) with no guarantee. Direct purchase at 1,178-1,388 saves 1,122-2,612 Echoes per item.
Impulse Buying: Items rotate back every 6-8 months. Buying non-priority skins immediately wastes echoes that could fund additional acquisitions.
Ignoring Penrose Maze: Requires 1,800 Sealing Wax (18 moves × 100) to guarantee items. Accumulate Sealing Wax through events/duplicates to obtain A-Tier items without echo expenditure.
Echo Acquisition Strategies
F2P Farming:
Logic Path completion: 1,000-1,200 monthly
Daily missions: 300-500 monthly
December-January events: 500-800 bonus
Season 40 Essence duplicates: 1,000 per A-Tier, 3,000 per S-Tier
Premium Acquisition: January 1 double reward reset provides 2x first-purchase bonuses across all packages, halving real-currency cost per echo. Strategic players maximize this by purchasing during reset window.
BitTopup offers competitive pricing, instant delivery, and 24/7 support. Secure payment processing ensures uninterrupted access during time-sensitive discount periods.
CNY Skin Priority Guide
Tier 1 Priority (Buy Immediately):
Frost S-Tier Wu Chang: Flagship CNY skin, 12-18 month rotation interval
Frozen Core A-Tier accessory: Completes set, first-week discount
Hearts Aligned S-Tier Seer accessory: S-Tier accessories rotate less frequently
Tier 2 Priority (Main Character Only):
BLK.ELI A-Tier Seer: High-usage survivor
Trembling Chord A-Tier Prisoner: Golden Apple alternative available
Femme Fatale A-Tier Dream Witch: Hunter main priority
Tier 3 Priority (Wait if Budget Constrained):
Wintry Wish A-Tier Soul Weaver: Standard rotation
Mr. Hyde A-Tier Nightmare: Multiple previous rotations
Lock Core A-Tier Mechanic: Regular rotation pattern
April 2 Complete Set: Dazzling Glory S-Tier + Dazzling Lone Wolf A-Tier + Mario B-Tier = 4,664-4,874 Echoes. Prospector mains reserve budget January-March.
Advanced Echo Management
Long-Term Planning: Track echo income, expenditure, and rotation predictions using spreadsheets. Include: item name, release date, cost, discount window, rotation prediction, priority ranking.
Maintain 3,000-5,000 echo reserves for unexpected releases. Collaboration events announce 2-4 weeks before launch, creating compressed decision windows.
FOMO Management: Limited items rotate back within 6-18 months. Dazzling Lone Wolf returns April 2, 2026, proving patience preserves budgets for higher-value opportunities.
Top-Up Timing: Purchase during double reward periods, promotions, or platform bonuses for 15-30% savings. BitTopup's fast delivery (minutes) ensures balance updates complete before first-week discount windows close.
Event Timeline: December 19-CNY 2026
Pre-Event (Dec 19-31, 2025):
Dec 19: CNY 2026 stream, Frost Wu Chang reveal
Dec 18-31: Illusion Hall rotation (Wintry Wish, Mr. Hyde, Lock Core, Femme Fatale, Werther)
Dec 25-31: F2P echo farming via holiday events
Peak Event (Jan 1-15, 2026):
Jan 1: Echo reset, double rewards (00:00 UTC+8, 24 hours)
Jan 1-8: First-week discount (BLK.ELI, Hearts Aligned, Trembling Chord)
Jan 8-15: First-week discount (The Parish Boy)
Jan 15-22: First-week discount (So Long at the Fair)
Extended Rotation (Jan 22-Apr 2, 2026):
Jan 22-29: First-week discount (Edward Beneath the Crown)
Apr 2: Dazzling triple release
Missing first-week windows by 24 hours costs 210 Echoes—equivalent to 2-3 days F2P farming.
FAQ
What time is the December 19 stream? Typically 19:00-20:00 UTC+8. Monitor official social media 24-48 hours before for confirmation.
How many echoes for complete CNY 2026 collection? Frost set: 4,066-4,276 Echoes. Full December-April rotation: 35,000-45,000 Echoes.
When do CNY skins return to Illusion Hall? Flagship skins: 12-18 months. Standard A-Tier: 6-8 months. Dazzling Lone Wolf returns April 2 (~8 months post-release).
Buy echoes before or after January 1 reset? Before 00:00 UTC+8 to qualify for double first-purchase bonuses (24-hour window, 2x rewards).
Are CNY skins worth it? Yes for Wu Chang mains and collectors. Frost S-Tier at 2,888 beats essence pulls (15,000-25,000 for 1.5-2% rates). Skip if you don't use Wu Chang.
How to maximize free echoes before CNY? Complete Logic Path (1,000-1,200), daily missions (300-500), December events (500-800), convert duplicates (1,000 per A-Tier, 3,000 per S-Tier). Total: 1,500-2,500 monthly.