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Genshin Impact is an action role-playing game developed by miHoYo, and published by miHoYo
in mainland China and by HoYoverse worldwide. It was released for Android, iOS, PlayStation 4, and
Windows in 2020, on PlayStation 5 in 2021, and is set for release on Nintendo Switch. The game
features an anime-style open-world environment and an action-based battle system using elemental
magic and character-switching. A free-to-play game monetized through gacha game mechanics,
Genshin Impact is expanded regularly through patches using the games as a service model.
Genshin Impact takes place in the fantasy world of Teyvat, home to seven nations, each of which is
tied to a different element and ruled by a different god. The story follows the Traveler, an
inter-dimensional adventurer who, at the start of the game, is separated from their twin sibling after
the two land in Teyvat. Thereafter, the Traveler journeys across the nations of Teyvat in search of the
lost sibling, accompanied by their guide, Paimon. Along the way, the two befriend myriad individuals
and begin to unravel the mysteries of the land.
Development of Genshin Impact began in 2017, and takes inspiration from a variety of sources,
including The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, anime, countries and regions, Gnosticism, and an
array of world mythologies. Genshin Impact has received generally positive reviews, with critics
writing approving of its combat mechanics and its immersive open world. Conversely, some criticism
has been directed at its simplistic endgame and its gacha-based monetization model. Across all
platforms, the game is estimated to have grossed nearly $3.7 billion by September 2021,
representing the highest ever first-year launch revenue for any video game.