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

HoYoverse's president, Liu Wei, recently revealed the significant impact of negative player feedback on the Genshin Impact development team. This candid statement sheds light on the challenges the game has faced over the past year.

Genshin Impact Team Overwhelmed by Criticism

Dedication to Improvement and Player Feedback Remains

(c) SentientBamboo Liu Wei, in a recent Shanghai event, described the "anxiety and confusion" stemming from intense criticism directed at the Genshin Impact team. The period surrounding Lunar New Year 2024 and subsequent updates proved particularly turbulent, marked by growing player dissatisfaction.

According to a translated recording by SentientBamboo on YouTube, Wei detailed the team's emotional response to the negative feedback: "Over the past year, both the Genshin team and I experienced a lot of anxiety and confusion," he stated. "We truly felt like we went through some really hard times. The intense criticism made our entire project team feel useless."

Wei's comments follow a series of controversies surrounding recent updates, including the 4.4 Lantern Rite event, which disappointed players due to perceived meager rewards (only three intertwined fates).

The perceived lack of substantial updates, compared to other HoYoverse titles like Honkai: Star Rail, fueled a wave of negative reviews and backlash. Furthermore, comparisons to Kuro Games' Wuthering Waves, particularly regarding gameplay and character movement, added to the criticism.

The 4.5 Chronicled Banner's gacha mechanics also drew ire, alongside concerns about the representation of characters inspired by real-world cultures.

While visibly emotional, Wei acknowledged player concerns: "Some felt our team was arrogant, that we didn't listen," he admitted. "But we're gamers too. We feel what you feel. We just needed to calm down and understand the true feedback."

Despite the setbacks, Wei expressed optimism, reaffirming the team's commitment to improvement and community engagement. He acknowledged unmet expectations but highlighted the encouragement received from players. "From now on," he concluded, "let's focus on creating the best experience."

In other news, a preview of the Natlan region was recently released, slated for launch on August 28th.