Its development began in 2017 and takes inspiration from a variety of sources, including The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, anime, Gnosticism, and an array of cultures and world mythologies.

Scattered across Teyvat are bosses and challenges that reward highly valuable resources, but claiming them uses up a currency called Original Resin, which slowly regenerates over time.

[23] Playable characters have control over one of seven natural elements: Anemo (air), Geo (earth), Pyro (fire), Hydro (water), Cryo (ice), Electro (electricity), and Dendro (plants).

Many commentators compared the non standalone card games with Hearthstone, from World of Warcraft, and Gwent from The Witcher 3 and believed that Genius Invokation TCG could help increase Genshin's playerbase.

[35] Gamersky editor Youming Xingkong said that the Genius Invokation TCG is an attempt to keep players fresh in Genshin Impact and solve the burnout that will occur in long-term operation games.

[37] Genshin Impact takes place in the world of Teyvat, composed of seven major nations, each of which is ruled by a different god called an "Archon", tied to a different element and ideal, and governed by a specific faction.

[40] The mysterious floating island of Celestia hangs above Teyvat, allegedly home to gods, as well as mortals who have ascended to godhood through great, heroic feats.

[44] Irrespective of which nation they hail from, individuals who have great ambitions may be granted a Vision, a magical gemstone that allows them to control a specific element and gives them the potential to ascend to godhood and reside in Celestia.

The primary antagonists in the game are the Abyss Order, a legion of monsters made up of corrupted Khaenri'ahns who seek to overthrow the rule of the Archons,[51][52] and the Fatui, a military force and delegation of diplomats from Snezhnaya who pursue an aggressive foreign policy throughout Teyvat.

Witnessing the destruction of Khaenri'ah upon their arrival, the two attempt to flee, but they soon find their path blocked by a mysterious god who calls herself the "Sustainer of Heavenly Principles".

The major acts of the story were foreshadowed in a trailer posted to the game's YouTube channel on the day of its release:[40] The Traveler and Paimon journey to Natlan in search of the Pyro Archon, arriving in time to witness the Pilgrimage, a tournament dedicated to finding warriors to fight against the Abyss.

Genshin Impact began development as early as late January 2017, with an initial team of 120 people, which grew to 400 by the end of that year, and reached 700 by February 2021.

[85] In Liyue, Chen used elements of Chinese folk music—traditional instruments, the pentatonic scale, and ancient tonal melodies—with Western romantic harmonies and orchestral arrangements.

[85] The first concert was held virtually on October 3, 2021, titled "Melodies of an Endless Journey" and featured multiple bands and an orchestra performing various soundtracks from the game.

[95][96][97][98] A second virtual concert was held on February 4, 2022, titled "Reflections of Spring" featuring the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra performing soundtracks from the Liyue region.

Ari Nortis of Kotaku, for instance, wrote that although the game provides a solid experience it also has "some of the typical bullshit that comes along with a zero-dollar price tag" and that the gacha system can lead to a "cycle that belongs more in Reno, Nevada, than a magical fantasy land of gods and wizards".

[146] Gamersky editor Youming Xingkong said that the Genius Invokation TCG is an attempt to keep players fresh in Genshin Impact and solve the burnout that will occur in long-term operation games.

[158] Based on a December 16, 2023 survey conducted by Nikkei Entertainment, the fanbase of Genshin Impact within Japan has an average age of 27 years, and a male-to-female ratio that skews 60:40.

[190][191] On March 6, miHoYo officially announced the collaboration with KFC, launching Genshin Impact-themed stores and offering themed postcards and badges with meals.

[195] However, on March 13, KFC announced on Sina Weibo that due to overcrowding in themed stores in Shanghai and Hangzhou, violating pandemic regulations, the events in those cities would be canceled.

[196] The event’s slogan, "Meet in another world, enjoy the delicacies," became a new Internet meme, and discussions of the collaboration spread beyond ACG fans to include Reddit users, as well as both gaming and non-gaming media.

[197][198] Additionally, according to incomplete statistics from Xinmin Evening News, Genshin Impact partnered with at least 14 brands, including Lawson, Alipay, and Amap in the second half of 2022.

On October 19, 2020, a vulnerable security flaw was discovered that exposed the phone number linked to a player's account during the password recovery attempt on the miHoYo website.

[224] On October 6, 2020, journalist and Twitch streamer Kazuma Hashimoto published a video on social media site Twitter (currently X) demonstrating how political terms controversial in China such as "Hong Kong" and "Taiwan" are censored within the in-game chat.

[227] In 2021, the Chinese government stated that video game companies should avoid "obscene and violent content and those breeding unhealthy tendencies, such as money-worship and effeminacy.

Though the region is perceived to take inspiration from the cultures of the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia, many of its playable characters and NPCs were depicted as white-skinned, prompting accusations of whitewashing and colorism.

[235] In early March 2023, HoYoverse was criticized for the release of the Sumeru character Dehya, as a portion of the game's fanbase argued that her abilities were underpowered and dysfunctional.

[236][237] As one of the few dark-skinned playable characters in the game, some fans suggested that her poor skillset might be due to colorism, given similar accusations made against HoYoverse in the past.

[241][242][243] In February 2023, allegations of abusive behavior and sexual exploitation of minors were made against Elliot Gindi, the English voice actor of the character Tighnari.

[247] In January 2025, HoYoverse issued a $20 million settlement to the Federal Trade Commission for selling loot boxes to children and collecting their personal data without parental consent.