HoYoverse president Liu Wei recently discussed the impact of intense fan criticism on the Genshin Impact development team over the past year. Continue reading for details on his remarks and the game's challenging period.
Genshin Impact Developers Felt Defeated and "Useless" Due to Relentless Negative Fan Feedback
Team Stays Dedicated to Enhancing Genshin Impact and Valuing Player Input
In a recent Shanghai event, HoYoverse President Liu Wei spoke about the "anxiety and confusion" caused by severe fan criticism directed at the Genshin Impact team over the last year. This followed a period of significant player dissatisfaction, particularly around Lunar New Year 2024 and later updates.
In his speech—translated and shared by the YouTube channel SentientBamboo—Liu detailed how the harsh critiques negatively impacted the team. "The past year brought considerable anxiety and confusion to me and the Genshin team," he stated. "We genuinely weathered a difficult phase. Amidst the overwhelming criticism, some particularly sharp remarks made our entire team feel utterly ineffective."
The president's comments come after multiple controversies surrounding recent Genshin Impact updates, such as the 4.4 Lantern Rite event. Players were let down by the rewards, notably receiving only three Intertwined Fates, which many considered insufficient for the occasion.
Frustrations grew as players compared Genshin's updates to other HoYoverse games like Honkai: Star Rail, leading to review bombing and backlash. Meanwhile, Kuro Games' Wuthering Waves became a point of comparison, with players noting differences in gameplay fluidity and character movement between the two titles.
Complaints intensified with the 4.5 Chronicled Wish, which introduced gacha mechanics some players found less favorable than standard Event Wishes. Broader criticism also targeted the game's creative direction, with some player groups expressing concerns over the cultural representation of certain characters.
Wei, visibly moved during his address, addressed the feedback directly. "Some felt our team was arrogant and ignored feedback," he said. "But as [host] Aquaria noted, we are gamers, just like everyone else. We share the same emotions. We simply faced too much noise and needed to step back to truly hear our Travelers' voices."
Despite the difficulties, Liu expressed optimism for Genshin's future, affirming the team's commitment to improvement and player communication. "We understand we still can't meet every expectation. However, the past year's anxiety also brought us courage and trust from our players. Moving forward, I hope both the Genshin team and our community can leave the past behind and work together to create an outstanding experience."
In other news, a preview for the upcoming Natlan region was recently shared on the game's official channels, offering a first look. Natlan is scheduled for release on August 28.
