HoYoverse president Liu Wei recently revealed the significant impact of harsh fan feedback on the Genshin Impact development team over the past year. His comments shed light on a tumultuous period for the game.
Genshin Devs Felt Defeated and Useless
Following Continuous Negative Feedback from Fans
Team Remains Committed to Improving Genshin and Listening to Fans
(c) SentientBamboo HoYoverse President Liu Wei candidly discussed the "anxiety and confusion" experienced by the *Genshin Impact* development team in response to intense player criticism. Speaking at a Shanghai event, Wei reflected on a period of growing player dissatisfaction, particularly following the Lunar New Year 2024 updates.Wei described the impact of the negative feedback, stating, "Over the past year, both the Genshin team and I experienced a lot of anxiety and confusion. We truly felt like we went through some really hard times. We heard a lot of noise, and some of it was really, really sharp, causing our entire project team to feel really useless."
This statement followed several controversies surrounding recent updates, including the 4.4 Lantern Rite event, criticized for its meager rewards (three intertwined fates). Many players expressed frustration with the perceived lack of substantial updates compared to titles like Honkai: Star Rail, leading to negative reviews and backlash. Wuthering Waves, from Kuro Games, also became a point of comparison, fueling criticism regarding gameplay and character movement differences.
Further fueling the discontent was the 4.5 Chronicled Banner's gacha mechanics, viewed unfavorably compared to traditional Event Banners. The game's overall direction also drew criticism, particularly regarding the representation of characters inspired by real-world cultures.
While visibly emotional, Wei acknowledged these concerns, saying, "Some people felt that our project team was really arrogant, saying that they don’t listen to anything. But it’s like [presenter] Aquaria said – we’re actually the same as everyone, we are also gamers. We all feel things other people feel too. We simply heard too much noise. We needed to calm down and discern the true voices of the Travelers."
Despite the challenges, Liu expressed optimism for the future, reaffirming the team's commitment to improvement and community engagement. "I know, even today, we still can't meet everyone's expectations. But after the anxiety and confusion the team and I experienced over the past year, I feel we also received a lot of courage and trust from our Travelers. So from now on, after I leave the stage, I hope that the entire Genshin team along with all the Genshin players can stop weighing on their pasts and whole-heartedly create the best experience."
In other news, a preview teaser for the Natlan region was recently released, showcasing its debut on August 28th.
