Why Is Genshin Impact Getting Canceled In China? EXPLAINED

Genshin Impact, the popular open-world RPG is facing a wave of significant backlash after its recent announcement of the Lantern Rites rewards. Here’s the background and everything you need to know.

By Sneha Sam

Published on Jan 25, 2024 | 04:10 PM IST | 351.5K

Genshin Impact [MiHoYo, HoYoVerse, Cognosphere]

In this Article

Unpacking the Lantern Rite Rewards fiasco: How did it start?
Review bombing and social media fallout
A new hashtag
The international impact: Accusations and anger
Has it happened before?

Genshin Impact, the popular open-world RPG (role-playing game) developed by miHoYo, is facing a wave of significant backlash after its recent announcement of the Lantern Rites rewards on the 4.4 Livestream. The threat of cancellation within its home market of China is looming overhead, as fans have begun to express their frustration using review bombings and mass unfollowing of their official social media pages. Accusations of unfair treatment and bot usage have also been made. Here are the details and everything you need to know.

Special Program for version 4.4 [Genshin Impact, MiHoYo, HoYoVerse, Cognosphere]

Unpacking the Lantern Rite Rewards fiasco: How did it start?

In version 4.4, Genshin Impact is set to celebrate the fourth Lantern Rite Festival, a traditional Chinese New Year event. This event also coincides with the game’s third anniversary. The outrage was triggered when it was announced that only three Intertwined Fates would be given as rewards, a much too insignificant number according to the player base. Comparisons are being drawn to a similar situation during the game's first anniversary when only 10 Intertwined Fates were distributed.

The discontent quickly escalated into widespread protests within the Chinese Genshin Impact community. Players took to platforms like BiliBili to review bomb the game, expressing their frustration with the perceived lack of generosity, especially considering the game's active duration of over three years.

Review bombing and social media fallout

The repercussions extended beyond in-game protests. Chinese players took to various platforms to voice their discontent. The discontent has spilled over to other social media platforms, including Weibo and BiliBili, where users are actively unfollowing the game. Moreover, fans are also unfollowing companies that have collaborated with Genshin Impact over the years, such as KFC, Pizza Hut, and Hey Tea.

On BiliBili, a popular video-sharing website in China, a surge in negative reviews has occurred, resulting in a higher number of 1-star ratings compared to 5-star ratings.

Genshin Impact Official Douyin Page [Douyin, Genshin Impact, MiHoYo, HoYoVerse]

Genshin Impact's official Douyin account experienced a mass exodus, losing over a million followers within a day—from 9.6 million to just over eight million. As of today, it has lost over a million followers.

Apart from Douyin, the official social media pages on other accounts have also lost a significant number of followers. Even companies that have only collaborated with Genshin Impact have taken a hit.

A new hashtag

In response to the discontent surrounding Genshin Impact's meager Chinese New Year rewards, frustrated fans have taken their protest to Twitter/X as well, coining the hashtag #3Years3Rolls. This hashtag serves as a digital rally cry, echoing the words said during the Special Program Livestream for version 4.4 on January 19, 2024, where they justified the distribution of only three rolls by citing the game's three years of existence.

Social media, once a platform for celebration, has transformed into a space for players to voice their concerns and demand more substantial rewards for their loyalty over the years.

The international impact: Accusations and anger

In a surprising twist, miHoYo's subsidiary, HoYoverse, is now facing accusations of buying bot accounts to artificially maintain its follower count on BiliBili. Evidence presented includes examples of accounts with usernames containing "bili" and random numbers, following only one page—Genshin Impact. This alleged attempt to manipulate follower numbers has added fuel to the already intense backlash.

Honkai Star Rail [MiHoYo, HoYoVerse, Cognosphere]

The fans were especially enraged when Genshin Impact’s sister game, Honkai Star Rail not only received generous rewards for its anniversary but also gifted players a coveted 5-star character for free. This stark contrast in treatment between the two games under the same developer contributed to the frustration among the players.

Has it happened before?

Similar discontent emerged during the first anniversary of Genshin Impact when only 10 Intertwined Fates were given out, emphasizing the recurring nature of discontent within the Genshin Impact community. The incident at the time barely passed by after the rewards were changed, and Genshin added a new Wind Glider and a Furnishing item to the rewards. This, however, did not satisfy the players they were insignificant items in-game.

Special Program for version 3.1 [Genshin Impact, MiHoYo, HoYoVerse, Cognosphere]

During the second anniversary, 10 Intertwined Fates, 4 Fragile Resin, one new but irrelevant Gadget, and one new Pet were given out. These rewards seemed to somewhat keep the players’ anger at bay, though the recent uproar serves as a stark reminder that player expectations can shape the trajectory of a game.

The ongoing dialogue between developers and players continues to shape the future of this beloved game, so stay tuned to Pinkvilla for more updates.