HoYoverse president Liu Wei recently shared insights into the impact of relentless fan criticism on the Genshin Impact development team over the past year. Dive deeper into his reflections and the challenges 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 At a recent event in Shanghai, HoYoverse President Liu Wei opened up about the "anxiety and confusion" that the Genshin Impact team has endured due to harsh fan feedback over the last year. Wei's comments follow a period marked by growing discontent among the player base, particularly around the Lunar New Year 2024 and subsequent game updates.During his speech, which was captured and translated by the YouTube channel SentientBamboo, Liu Wei candidly discussed how the team felt overwhelmed by criticism. "Over the past year, both the Genshin team and I have experienced significant anxiety and confusion," he stated. "We've gone through some really tough times. The noise we heard was sharp, making our entire project team feel utterly useless."
Liu Wei's remarks coincide with several contentious updates to Genshin Impact, notably the 4.4 Lantern Rite event. Players expressed disappointment over the event rewards, specifically receiving only three intertwined fates, which they deemed insufficient.
The dissatisfaction extended beyond the Lantern Rite event, as players compared Genshin Impact unfavorably to other HoYoverse titles like Honkai: Star Rail. Additionally, Kuro Games' Wuthering Waves has become a point of comparison, with fans critiquing the differences in gameplay and character mobility.
Tensions heightened with the 4.5 Chronicled Banner, which introduced gacha mechanics that many found less appealing than the game's traditional Event Banners. Furthermore, some players felt that the game's cultural representations were being misrepresented or "whitewashed."
Despite the emotional toll, Wei took the opportunity to address these concerns directly. "Some felt our team was arrogant, not listening to feedback," he admitted. "But as Aquaria mentioned, we're gamers too. We experience the same emotions as our players. We've been overwhelmed by the noise, but we need to focus on the genuine voices of our Travelers."
Looking forward, Liu Wei expressed optimism about the game's future and its community, emphasizing the team's dedication to enhancing the game and engaging with player feedback. "We may not meet everyone's expectations yet, but the courage and trust we've received from our Travelers over the past year fuel our commitment," he said. "As I step off this stage, I hope the Genshin team and all our players can move beyond past grievances and work together to create the best possible experience."
In other developments, a teaser for the upcoming region, Natlan, was recently released on Genshin Impact's official account, offering a first glimpse of what's to come. Natlan is set to launch on August 28.
