What Makes Genshin Impact a Gacha Game?
Wishes and Gacha Mechanics in Genshin Impact
Wishes are the gacha system in Genshin Impact. There are two main types of Wishes: the permanent Standard Wish, Wanderlust Invocation, and limited-time Event Wishes for Characters and Weapons. Players can unlock wishes after completing the Archon Quest Knights of Favonius in Prologue: Act I – The Outlander Who Caught the Wind, which players can reach at around Adventure Rank 5.
- Limited-time Event Wishes: These are split into two wishes, one for characters and one for weapons, and as the name implies, they are only available for a limited time. Event Wishes require Intertwined Fates instead of Acquaint Fates. Character Event Wishes feature one promotional 5★ character and three featured 4★ characters.
- Drop Guarantees:
- 4★ drop guarantee: If a player does not obtain any 4★ (or above) item within 9 wishes in a row, the 10th wish is guaranteed to be a 4★ (or higher) item. This counter resets if the player obtains any 4★ item.
- 5★ drop guarantee: If a player does not obtain any 5★ item after 89 wishes, the 90th wish is guaranteed to be a 5★ item.
- Pity System: Pity refers to how many pulls or wishes it will take to guarantee a major character. In Genshin Impact, you are guaranteed a 5-star on your 90th pull if you do not get one within 90 pulls. This timer resets once you get a 5-star character. For Limited Weapon Banners, the pity system requires 80 wishes for a guaranteed 5-star weapon and has a 75% chance of hitting a featured weapon instead of the usual 50/50 for characters.
- Luck and Randomness: Genshin Impact operates on a luck-based gacha system, where many times, players will not get the character or weapon they desire. However, with the pity system, players can reduce the variance of the gacha experience, allowing for more chances to obtain desired characters—provided they maintain patience and discipline.
- Capturing Radiance: This new banner mechanic serves to increase the odds of obtaining featured characters. Once triggered, players are guaranteed to get the 5-star featured character, though it does not alter the probabilities of normal 50/50s or affect them in any way.
- Understanding Pity: Pity is the count of wishes made before obtaining a 5-star. For example, if you wished 77 times on the Character banner and didn’t get any 5-star, your pity would be 77. Although reaching 90 pity guarantees a 5-star, this is complicated by a system known as soft pity, making it seemingly difficult to reach that threshold.
Understanding Gachapon: The Mechanics Behind Genshin Impact
Genshin Impact’s gacha system is a key component of its monetization and gameplay. Here’s a detailed breakdown of how it works:
- Wishes: Players use a feature called “Wishes” to obtain new characters and weapons.
- Wishes are the equivalent of pulls in other gacha games.
- There are different banners for Wishes, including character banners and weapon banners, each featuring specific characters or weapons.
- Currency:
- Primogems: The primary currency for making Wishes. Players can earn Primogems through gameplay, completing quests, and various in-game activities.
- Fate: There are two types of Fate:
- Intertwined Fate (used for event banners)
- Acquaint Fate (used for standard banners).
These can be purchased with Primogems or earned through gameplay.
- Pity System:
- Genshin Impact has a pity system that guarantees a 5-star character or weapon after a certain number of unsuccessful pulls. The standard pity for 5-star items is 90 pulls, while the soft pity starts around 75 pulls.
- For 4-star items, the pity is set at every 10 pulls, ensuring that players receive a 4-star item at least once every 10 Wishes.
- The pity system also operates under the base rules:
- Every 10 wishes = at least one 4 star or higher item.
- Every 90 wishes = guaranteed 5 star item.
The mechanics can be summarized as:
- In Genshin Impact, the “Gachapon” mechanic, referred to as “Wishes,” is a random loot box system where players spend in-game currency to pull on banners. This potentially allows them to acquire new characters or weapons with varying rarity levels.
- It features a chance-based system, along with a “pity” system to guarantee a high-tier item after a certain number of pulls.
- The core mechanic is the “50/50” chance on 5-star pulls, where you have a 50% chance to get the featured character on a banner. If you don’t, the next 5-star pull is guaranteed to be the featured character.
Key points about Genshin Impact’s Gacha mechanics include:
- Wish types:
- There are two primary wish types: “Standard Wish” (permanent pool with a wider range of characters and weapons)
- Limited-time “Event Wishes” that feature specific characters or weapons with increased pull rates.
- Rarity tiers: Characters and weapons are categorized by rarity, with 5-star being the most desirable, followed by 4-star, and then lower rarities.
- Pity system: Each wish banner has a “pity” counter that increases with every pull, guaranteeing a 5-star character or weapon once it reaches a certain threshold.
- 50/50 mechanic: When pulling a 5-star on a character banner, there is a 50% chance of getting the featured character, and a 50% chance of getting another random 5-star character from the pool.
Whenever you get a five-star, there’s a 50% chance of it being the featured character. However, if you lose the 50/50, you’ll get one of the Standard Banner five-star characters. Losing the 50/50 once guarantees your next five-star to be the featured unit, and this guarantee stays even if the banner expires.
Pity is the number of wishes you did before you got a five-star. For example, if you wished 77 times on the Character banner and didn’t get any five-star, then you have 77 pity. At 90 pity, you are guaranteed to get a five-star. However, reaching 90 is basically impossible because of another system called soft pity.
Is Genshin Impact Worth the Gacha Experience?
Introduction
Genshin Impact’s gacha mechanics have sparked considerable debate, prompting players to reflect on their experiences with the game’s pull system.
The Emotional Experience
- The thrill of the gamble versus the agony of defeat plays a significant role in the gacha experience.
- Community reactions highlight the unpredictable nature of gacha pulls, illustrating the emotional rollercoaster players face when spending in-game currency for elusive rewards.
The Nature of Luck
Furthermore, questions arise about the nature of luck and the allure of slot machines in gaming. This leads to a debate over fairness versus randomness.
The Mini Slot Machine serves as a metaphor for players’ quests for rare treasures, juxtaposing the excitement of potential rewards with the harsh reality of the gamble.
Genshin Impact’s Gacha System
- Genshin Impact’s gacha design features an in-game currency known as Primogems, which can be used to obtain either Fate items or expedite wishes.
- The system compels players to pull at predetermined times during events; missing a chance means uncertainty about when opportunities will arise again.
Pity Mechanics
Moreover, Genshin’s gacha mechanics are heavily centered around a ‘soft pity’ system rather than relying solely on low drop rates.
- Pity refers to the number of wishes made before receiving a five-star item.
- For instance, if a player wishes 77 times without getting a five-star, they accumulate 77 pity points.
- At 90 pity points, players are guaranteed a five-star item, but reaching this threshold is notably difficult due to the soft pity mechanic.
General Gacha Mechanics
In general, many gacha games require players to exchange in-game currency for pulls or spins, with each pull yielding a random collectible drop. Notably, some drops are less frequent and can often be categorized into rarity tiers.
How Does Genshin Impact Compare to Other Gacha Games?
Genshin Impact compares favorably to other gacha games for several key reasons:
- Expansive Gameplay: Unlike many gacha games that rely heavily on grind and repetitive gameplay, Genshin Impact incorporates an expansive open world that encourages exploration and discovery. Players can roam through a beautifully rendered environment, complete quests, and engage in elemental combat that is both strategic and visually stunning. The game emphasizes character abilities and elemental interactions, setting it apart from others in the genre, which often focus solely on character collection and battle mechanics. Furthermore, Genshin Impact’s free-to-play model and generous resource distribution create a more accessible experience for players, contrasting with titles that may impose stricter paywalls.
- Narrative and Character Development: Genshin Impact stands out by integrating an immersive narrative and world-building elements that resonate with players. The game’s characters are not only collectible but also come with rich backstories and interwoven relationships that enhance the overall gameplay experience. This focus on storytelling creates a deeper emotional connection compared to other gacha games that may prioritize mechanics over narrative depth. Players find themselves invested in the world of Teyvat and its lore, which keeps them engaged long after the initial character pulls.
- Gacha System: The gacha system in Genshin Impact allows players to summon characters and weapons through a unique Wish system. This system is complemented by a pity mechanic that ensures players eventually receive high-rarity items, fostering a balance between excitement and fairness. In contrast, many gacha games often have less transparent systems that can lead to frustration among players. Genshin Impact’s approach encourages long-term engagement and satisfaction.
- Visual Appeal: Genshin Impact’s visual appeal is unmatched in the gacha landscape. Featuring anime-inspired art combined with 3D graphics, it creates a vibrant and enchanting world. The game’s environments are diverse, ranging from tranquil landscapes to bustling cities, each teeming with life and detail. This emphasis on aesthetics not only draws players in but also sets a high bar for graphical quality that many competing gacha games struggle to achieve.
- Comparison with Other Games: While GFL2’s gacha system resembles Genshin Impact, it features a softer pity system, allowing regular players to earn at least one SSR per banner. However, monetization and gacha mechanics present significant challenges for free-to-play players in other titles, as they can be expensive with high pull requirements, making it difficult to obtain premium outfits without substantial spending. In terms of character roster, Genshin Impact clearly outshines others, boasting over 80 unique characters.
- Overall Experience: Whether battling formidable foes, unlocking the mysteries of Teyvat, or simply enjoying the beauty of the world, Genshin Impact offers an unparalleled gacha experience that captivates millions of players worldwide.
In conclusion, while Genshin Impact is not without its competitors, its rich narrative, immersive world, visually stunning environments, and player-friendly gacha system create a distinctive and engaging experience that sets it apart from many other gacha games.
Critiques of Genshin Impact’s Gacha System: Are They Valid?
Genshin Impact, a hot topic among gamers, sparks debate on the controversial gacha system. Let’s delve into the Reddit community’s thoughts. The gacha system generates revenue, enabling frequent quality updates. Despite criticisms of predatory practices, the financial support from players fuels the game’s ongoing success.
Whales, players who invest significantly in the game, often bear the brunt of funding, allowing non-spenders to enjoy the experience without heavy financial commitments. This extensive character roster challenges traditional game development cycles, providing a plethora of unique gameplay experiences.
However, players express concerns about the transient nature of gacha games. Specifically, the fleeting content demands frequent spending. The rapid release of new characters and events can sometimes overshadow the depth of older content, leading to a mixed reception among players. Despite differing opinions, Genshin Impact stands out in the gacha genre for its continuous evolution and player engagement.
Additionally, Genshin Impact maker Cognosphere – which conducts business as HoYoverse – has agreed to pay a $20 million fine to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). This settlement addresses allegations of misleading children over the true cost of obtaining rare gacha rewards. The FTC describes the system as ‘challenging’ and ‘confusing’. In response, Cognosphere stated it believes the FTC’s accusations are ‘inaccurate’, although it has agreed to settle as part of a ‘commitment to transparency for our players’.
Under the agreement, new age-gate and parental consent protections for children and young teens will be introduced. Furthermore, there will be increased in-game disclosures around virtual currency and rewards for players in the US in the coming months. This change seems to primarily affect the American version of the game, although it may be rolled out worldwide to avoid further issues with various other government bodies globally.
Moreover, Genshin Impact publisher HoYoverse is obligated to pay a substantial fine to the US FTC due to allegedly misleading practices regarding gacha and the handling of minors’ data. The complaint also states that the current system of exchanging in-game and real-life currency, particularly the use of Genesis Crystals, Primogems, and Fates, obfuscates the true monetary cost of wishing.
While some players express dissatisfaction with the gacha system, they appreciate Genshin’s pity system. One player notes that, in comparison to other gachas, they’ve been lucky to get a good SSR every 15 or so multi pulls. Additionally, any gacha game that includes a PvP and/or ranking system is considered automatically worse than Genshin Impact.
However, it is important to keep in mind Genshin Impact’s business model. Currently, there are no P2W mechanics present in the game. While progression and character selection is more limited for non-paying players, none of the content is inaccessible to them.
