Genshin Backlash Cause Devs to Feel Defeated and \"Useless\"

HoYoverse's president, Liu Wei, recently revealed the significant impact of harsh player feedback on the Genshin Impact development team over the past year. This article delves into his comments and the game's challenging period.

Genshin Developers Overwhelmed by Negative Fan Feedback

Team Remains Dedicated to Improvement and Player Communication

(c) SentientBamboo In a recent Shanghai event, Liu Wei addressed the "anxiety and confusion" experienced by the Genshin Impact team due to intense criticism. His speech, recorded and translated by SentientBamboo on YouTube, highlighted the team's struggles following a period of growing player dissatisfaction, particularly around Lunar New Year 2024 and subsequent updates.

Wei described the negative feedback as deeply affecting the team: "Over the past year, both the Genshin team and I experienced significant anxiety and confusion. We went through incredibly difficult times. The intense criticism made the entire team feel useless."

These comments followed several controversies surrounding recent updates, including the 4.4 Lantern Rite event. The meager rewards (three intertwined fates) sparked widespread disappointment.

Players expressed frustration over perceived insufficient updates compared to titles like Honkai: Star Rail, resulting in negative reviews and backlash. Kuro Games' Wuthering Waves also fueled comparisons, with criticism focused on gameplay and character movement differences.

Further fueling the discontent was Genshin's 4.5 Chronicled Banner's gacha mechanics, viewed unfavorably compared to traditional Event Banners. The game's overall direction also faced criticism, particularly regarding the portrayal of characters inspired by real-world cultures.

While visibly emotional, Wei acknowledged these concerns: "Some felt our team was arrogant and unresponsive. But we're gamers too; we understand player sentiments. We were overwhelmed by the volume of feedback and needed to filter the genuine concerns."

Despite the challenges, Liu expressed optimism, reiterating the team's commitment to improvement and communication: "We can't meet every expectation, but the past year's difficulties have also fostered courage and trust. Moving forward, let's focus on creating the best possible experience."

In related news, a preview for the Natlan region was recently released, with its launch scheduled for August 28th.