Genshin Backlash Leaves Devs Feeling Defeated and Useless

HoYoverse president Liu Wei recently shared the emotional impact that harsh fan feedback has had on the Genshin Impact development team over the past year. Dive deeper into his comments and the challenging times the game has faced.

Genshin Devs Felt Defeated and "Useless" Following Continuous Negative Feedback from Fans

Team Remains Committed to Improving Genshin and Listening to Fans

(c) SentientBamboo HoYoverse President Liu Wei recently opened up about the "anxiety and confusion" that harsh fan feedback has caused the Genshin Impact development team over the past year. Speaking at a recent event in Shanghai, Wei addressed the situation following a tumultuous period marked by growing dissatisfaction among the player base, particularly around the Lunar New Year 2024 and subsequent updates.

During his speech, which was recorded and translated by the YouTube channel SentientBamboo, Liu expressed how the intense criticism from fans had deeply affected the team. "Over the past year, both the Genshin team and I experienced a lot of anxiety and confusion," he said. "We truly felt like we went through some really hard times. We heard a lot of noise, and some of it was really sharp, causing our entire project team to feel really useless."

The company president's remarks followed a series of controversies surrounding Genshin Impact’s recent updates, including the 4.4 Lantern Rite event. Fans expressed disappointment over the event rewards, particularly the three intertwined fates offered for the Lantern Rite event, which many viewed as inadequate.

Many players voiced frustration over what they perceived as a lack of exciting and substantial updates compared to other HoYoverse titles like Honkai: Star Rail, resulting in a flood of negative reviews and backlash. Additionally, Kuro Games’ latest RPG title, Wuthering Waves, has been a point of comparison, with fans critiquing the differences in gameplay and character movement between the two games.

The player base's frustrations further escalated with Genshin’s 4.5 Chronicled Banner, which introduced gacha mechanics that many fans found less favorable than the game’s traditional Event Banners. The game's overall direction also drew criticism, especially from players who felt that characters inspired by real-life cultures were being "whitewashed" or misrepresented.

Wei appeared visibly emotional during his address, yet he took the time to acknowledge these concerns. "Some people felt that our project team was really arrogant, saying that they don’t listen to anything," he said. "But as [presenter] Aquaria said – we’re actually the same as everyone, we are also gamers. We all feel things other people feel too. We simply heard too much noise. We needed to calm down and discern the true voices of the Travelers."

Despite the challenges, Liu expressed hope for the game's future and its fans, promising that the team remains dedicated to enhancing the game and engaging with its player community. "I know, even today, we still can't meet everyone's expectations. But after the anxiety and confusion the team and I experienced over the past year, I feel we also received a lot of courage and trust from our Travelers. So from now on, after I leave the stage, I hope that the entire Genshin team along with all the Genshin players can stop weighing on their pasts and whole-heartedly create the best experience."

In other related news, a preview teaser for Natlan was recently uploaded on the game's official account, offering first-looks at the game's new region. Natlan is set to be released on August 28.