Genshin Impact: Bubbly effects cleverly conceal characters’ most precious parts. Where’s my oh-so-important derrière? 

In the wondrous world of the Genshin Impact community, a particular user’s posted image is causing quite a splash! When you take a peek at the image, you’ll notice that a character’s behind, while swimming underwater, is obscured by a bubbly display. As a result, in this thread, a parade of adventurers eager to catch a glimpse of that elusive derrière is cropping up. Just a heads up, dear readers, because this article might dip its toes into potential Fontaine-related spoilers, so brace yourselves for some cheeky antics! 

Genshin Impact, part of the HoYoverse brand, is an open-world action RPG that’s all the rage. The game’s stage is set in the world of Teyvat, home to seven nations and the corresponding elements. Players take on the role of the Traveler, spurred by a certain event, and set off on a jaunt around Teyvat with the trusty sidekick, Paimon. The game just released the Ver4.0 update. Along with the new Fontaine region in the spotlight, there are exciting new features like underwater exploration making a splash. But that’s not all that’s making waves – a specific Genshin community user’s post about the game’s juicy bits is causing quite a stir. 

On August 17th, Reddit user Couch__Cowboy took to the stage with a thread that had all the heat of a blazing pyro attack titled “This Censor is atrocious. Unacceptable!!” Attached to this proclamation was an image that unfolded in the alluring new Fontaine region. According to Couch__Cowboy, there’s a tiny hiccup in this aquatic escapade. While the characters enjoy a refreshing swim, a bubble effect seems to have developed an affection for their “behinds,” encircling them like devoted followers. As a result,  the adventurers’ posteriors are constantly obscured from players’ hungry gazes, which has understandably caused an uproar. 

The Reddit user presents their case using a multitude of posterior snapshots, each featuring different characters and camera angles, taken with great care and determination. However, all efforts of the player to shake off the clingy grip of the buttock-obscuring-bubble seem to have come to naught. Now, a few voices are raising questions in this ocean of discussion. “We can gaze at characters climbing walls or gliding through the air to our heart’s content, so why can’t we do this underwater.” They’re scratching their heads, wondering about the necessity of these bubble shenanigans that seem to be covering up more than just bums. Among the tides of chatter, some players are pondering the effects on gameplay in general, finding their whole view of the character muddied and their gaming experience hindered.

Genshin Impact has previously undergone changes with the intention of “covering up” characters. In one case, while introducing new skins for global players, alternate versions with reduced exposure were reportedly created for the Chinese audience (Related article). Hailing from China and expanding the game’s reach, miHoYo most likely follows stringent guidelines and checks closely for restrained representations of sexuality within the game. Just as outfit adjustments are made to align with different standards, perhaps the bubbly censorship was also a part of the game’s efforts to refrain from sexual expression. 

Now, for a little anecdote, it seems that some resourceful users have stumbled upon a potential solution to this bubbly conundrum – the water effects disappear when using abilities. This ingenious discovery can be seen as the result of persistent trial and error by those enthusiasts who simply want to gaze upon their favorite characters’ buttocks. Here’s the twist: once the ability’s performance is over, the bubbly effect reappears, returning to its original state. While some users might be overjoyed to finally catch a glimpse underwater, for others, who just find the effects a nuisance, it might feel like a mere drop in the ocean. 

Currently, Genshin Impact is making waves with its Ver4.0 “As Light Rain Falls Without Reason.” While significant graphical improvements have been made, making the experience even more breathtaking, will adjustments be made to the bubbly expressions? 

Written by. Eugene Kamei-Oser based on the original Japanese article (original article’s publication date: 2023-08-18 11:23 JST)