On this day: Genshin Impact was released on September 28, 2020

On September 28, 2020, the Chinese studio miHoYo released Genshin Impact, a free-to-play open-world role-playing game. On launch day it appeared on Windows, Android, iOS, and PlayStation 4, and outside China it is distributed by the international division HoYoverse.

The action takes place in Teyvat, a world of seven nations, each tied to its own element and ruled by a god-Archon. The player assembles a party of four heroes and switches between them in combat, and the elements interact: water and ice together freeze an enemy. The story follows the Traveler, who searches for a lost twin together with the guide Paimon.

New characters and weapons are mainly obtained through the "gacha," a lottery paid for with in-game currency. After a certain number of attempts, the system guarantees a rare item, but the lottery model itself became one of the main criticisms from reviewers.

At launch only two of the seven regions were available, and the developers said in advance that the story would unfold over years. Later, versions for PlayStation 5 in 2021 and Xbox Series X/S in 2024 were released, a Chinese build for HarmonyOS appeared, and the studio ended PlayStation 4 support in 2026.

The game was received generally positively, and the music was recorded by the London Philharmonic, Shanghai Symphony, and Tokyo Philharmonic orchestras. By its fourth anniversary in 2024, Genshin Impact's revenue reached 6.3 billion dollars.

Image: ™/®miHoYo/HoYoverse Public domain

Translation editor: Ловушкин А.