Are Genshin Impact’s 1-year anniversary rewards enough? It depends on which region you ask
Publication date of the original Japanese article: 2021-09-28 21:18 (JST)
Translated by. Braden Noyes
September 28, 2021 marks the one-year anniversary of the release of miHoYo’s Genshin Impact, and to celebrate they are currently giving out some free in-game items as well as holding a variety of events. However, the response to these anniversary rewards seems to differ greatly, with a large number of players in regions outside Japan expressing their dissatisfaction.
To celebrate their one-year anniversary, Genshin Impact is currently running the “Passage of Clouds and Stars” event in which players can claim rewards for logging into the game. They also have other ongoing events such as a number of fan creation contests for things such as fanart and videos, as well as a special web event titled “An Unforgettable Journey” where players can revisit their adventures over the past year. However, the biggest topic of discontent at the moment seems to be the rewards players are being given in the “Passage of Clouds and Stars” event.
In Genshin Impact, players use what is known as the gacha system to make random draws, known as wishes in this case, to obtain new characters and high-level weapons. These wishes also come in two different types. By using an item known as an Acquaint Fate, players can make one wish on the standard banner, while making a wish on one of the limited-time banners requires an item called an Intertwined Fate.
During the current “Passage of Clouds and Stars” event, players can receive up to 10 Intertwined Fates, as well as a few other rewards, simply by logging in on at least seven different days over the course of the event. However, some players believe 10 Intertwined Fates is far too few for something as big as a game’s one-year anniversary event.
The reaction from the English-speaking player base in particular has been rather harsh, with a large number of players making their opinions known over on the /r/Genshin_Impact Reddit community boards.
One thread asks, “So how are we feeling about the anniversary?” The comments are filled with users criticizing miHoYo and their anniversary event, with some saying they simply wanted something to help them remember they were part of the game’s first year, while others declared they were so upset they would be quitting the game. At the time of translating this article, the thread has received over 16 thousand upvotes, a clear indicator that more than a few English-speaking fans are unhappy. English Twitter posts mentioning Genshin Impact also seem to be centered around people who had hoped for better rewards.
As a matter of fact, criticism among the English-speaking community toward the anniversary event began well before it even began. Players took to social media to voice their outrage at the event’s schedule and rewards as soon as details were released. The announcement tweet on Genshin Impact’s official Twitter account has many comments objecting to the lackluster event awards. Others have even condemned miHoYo, stating the company is exploiting artists by claiming the rights to anything submitted to their fanart and social media contests.
It’s not only players in English-speaking regions who are frustrated, however. The announcement of the aforementioned “Passage of Clouds and Stars” event on the official Chinese miYoHo forums drew a large number of reactions as well. Although not quite as angry as the tone of the English forums, the general response to the event’s rewards was that of disappointment.
The game’s anniversary event also happens to coincide with another major anniversary in China. October 1, known as National Day, marks the foundation of the People’s Republic of China and is accompanied by a long vacation. This has led to comments such as, “on top of it being the game’s first anniversary, it’s also National Day, and this is all we get?”
Both Chinese and English-speaking players have mentioned the anniversary rewards offered by other games in the gacha genre, stating that Genshin Impact’s feel unremarkable by comparison.
The truth is, however, that it can be somewhat difficult to compare whether or not the rewards for Genshin Impact’s first anniversary event are indeed inferior to those of other live-service style games. Not only do different games and their communities have their own individual systems and value standards, but their microtransactions are priced differently as well. It seems as though dissatisfaction with these types of free item giveaways is simply part of what it means to be a live-service game.
On the other hand, Genshin Impact players in Japan seem to have had a generally positive reaction to the first anniversary events. While there are of course some on Twitter who believe the rewards are a bit lackluster, many Japanese players have expressed how much they enjoyed the “An Unforgettable Journey” web event and are congratulating the game on its first full year. Many others have said they don’t find the rewards particularly disappointing when compared to the usual level of event rewards and the ease of obtaining Primogems in-game. It’s quite interesting to see how widely the players’ reactions vary from one region to another.
When it comes to live-service games such as this one which are available around the world, it’s important to take into account the various cultural differences between regions. Having said that, giving preferential treatment to specific areas is a surefire way to make some players feel as if they are being treated unfairly. However, even though the rewards this time around were the same in every region, the players’ reactions varied drastically. This is a prime example of just how difficult it can be managing a game that has become popular on a global scale.
Genshin Impact is currently celebrating its one-year anniversary with a number of ongoing events. For more details, check out the in-game menu, visit the official Twitter account, or head over to the forums on the official HoYoLab website. It’s only natural for more rewards to equate to more enthusiasm from players. Regardless of the amount, however, free stuff is free stuff, and it seems like a good idea to accept whatever you can get.
