HoYoverse CEO Liu Wei recently shared the impact of negative player feedback on the Genshin Impact development team. His comments shed light on a challenging year for the game and its creators.
Genshin Devs Overwhelmed by Negative Feedback: A Year of Challenges
Team Remains Dedicated to Improvement and Player Communication
(c) SentientBamboo In a recent Shanghai event, Liu Wei addressed the "anxiety and confusion" stemming from intense criticism of Genshin Impact, particularly following the Lunar New Year 2024 updates. As captured and translated by SentientBamboo on YouTube, Wei described the team's experience: "Over the past year, the Genshin team and I felt immense anxiety and confusion. We faced difficult times, overwhelmed by harsh feedback that left the entire team feeling useless."
This statement follows a series of controversies, including the 4.4 Lantern Rite event's underwhelming rewards (three intertwined fates) and perceived shortcomings in updates compared to titles like Honkai: Star Rail. Negative reviews and backlash intensified with criticisms regarding the 4.5 Chronicled Banner's gacha mechanics and concerns about cultural representation within the game. Comparisons to Kuro Games' Wuthering Waves also fueled the discontent.
Wei, visibly emotional during his address, acknowledged the criticism, stating, "Some felt our team was arrogant and unresponsive. But we're gamers too; we understand player feelings. The volume of criticism was overwhelming; we needed to process it and identify genuine player concerns."
Despite the challenges, Liu expressed optimism, reaffirming the team's commitment to improvement and communication. "We can't meet every expectation, but the past year also brought us encouragement and trust from our players. Moving forward, let's focus on creating the best possible experience, leaving past difficulties behind."
