Genshin Impact

Presentation

Genshin Impact is an open-world action RPG developed by miHoYo, known internationally under the HoYoverse brand. The game offers a fantasy adventure set in Teyvat, a universe made up of nations with distinct cultures, landscapes and traditions, where elemental powers play an essential role.

The story follows the Traveler, a character from another world who is separated from their sibling by a mysterious deity. Accompanied by Paimon, the Traveler embarks on a long journey to find their missing sibling and understand the secrets of Teyvat. Along the way, they encounter the Archons, deities associated with the different nations, as well as numerous characters whose stories intertwine with the main quest.

Exploration is one of the game's foundations. Players freely travel through cities, forests, mountains, deserts and other environments, using abilities such as climbing, swimming and gliding. The regions contain environmental puzzles, treasures, domains and side quests that encourage players to discover their unique characteristics. Each nation also has its own cultural and musical identity, contributing to the diversity of Teyvat.

Combat takes place in real time and revolves around mastering seven elements: Anemo, Geo, Electro, Dendro, Hydro, Pyro and Cryo. Combining them triggers elemental reactions, which can increase damage, affect enemy behavior or produce different tactical effects. This system also plays a role in solving certain puzzles.

Players assemble a party of four characters, switching between them during combat. Each character has their own element, weapon type and specific abilities. Team composition therefore relies on complementary characters, particularly their elemental reactions, support capabilities and combat styles.

Progression combines character development with upgrades to their weapons, talents and artifacts. Adventure Rank reflects the player's overall progression and determines access to certain activities. Some rewards, particularly those obtained from various bosses and domains, depend on a replenishing resource called Original Resin.

Genshin Impact follows a free-to-play model, with a Wish system that allows players to obtain characters and weapons according to defined probabilities. The Primogems required for these wishes can be earned through gameplay or acquired through optional purchases. The game therefore distinguishes progression through exploration and quests from the randomized acquisition of part of its character roster.

Designed as a live-service game, Genshin Impact continues to evolve through regular updates that expand its world, story and activities. The main adventure remains primarily single-player, but a cooperative mode for up to four players allows certain exploration activities and battles to be shared. Cooperative play remains restricted during some story-driven quests.

Key points

• An open-world fantasy action RPG.
• An adventure set in Teyvat, a universe composed of nations with distinct identities.
• A main quest centered on the Traveler and the search for their missing sibling.
• Paimon accompanies the player throughout the journey.
• Free exploration involving climbing, swimming and gliding.
• Real-time combat based on seven elements and their reactions.
• Parties of four characters with complementary abilities.
• Progression involving character levels, weapons, talents and artifacts.
• Main and side quests, domains and environmental puzzles.
• A free-to-play model with Wishes used to obtain characters and weapons.
• Original Resin regulates access to certain rewards.
• A cooperative mode for up to four players for selected activities.
• Regular updates introducing regions, characters, stories and events.
• An art direction inspired by Japanese animation, supported by a distinctive musical identity.

Conclusion

Genshin Impact combines the exploration of a vast fantasy universe with a combat system built around interactions between seven elements. The Traveler's search for their missing sibling provides the central thread of an adventure that gradually expands into the stories and conflicts of Teyvat's different nations.

Party composition, character development and regional exploration form the main pillars of progression. Its free-to-play model, Wish system and regular updates establish the adventure as an evolving experience, with narrative content and gameplay possibilities continuing to expand across successive versions.

Good to know

Genshin Impact is developed by miHoYo, a Chinese company that also operates under the international HoYoverse brand. The game is published internationally by COGNOSPHERE.

The game was initially released on September 28, 2020, for PlayStation 4, PC, Android and iOS.

A native PlayStation 5 version was released on April 28, 2021, followed by an Xbox Series X|S version on November 20, 2024.

On April 8, 2026, the PlayStation 4 version became inaccessible following the end of its support. The game remains available on other compatible platforms.

Teyvat is organized around seven major nations, each associated with an element and a deity known as an Archon. The world has gradually expanded beyond the original regions of Mondstadt and Liyue, notably with Inazuma, Sumeru, Fontaine, Natlan and newer territories such as Nod-Krai.

At the beginning of the adventure, players choose between Aether and Lumine, the two possible protagonists. The character not selected becomes the sibling sought throughout the story.

The Wish system operates according to character and weapon acquisition probabilities, with guarantee mechanisms. Some offers are available for a limited time.

Cooperative mode unlocks at Adventure Rank 16 and allows up to four players to play together. Certain quests, activities and narrative sequences remain exclusive to single-player mode.

The game requires a permanent Internet connection, even when playing through the main campaign alone.

Save data and progression can be shared across compatible platforms through cross-progression features, while multiplayer supports cross-play.

The music is produced by HOYO-MiX, HoYoverse's music team. The compositions draw on orchestral influences and instruments associated with the cultures that inspire the different regions.

The game remains in continuous development, with new versions introducing additional story chapters, explorable territories, characters and limited-time events.