Genshin Impact Exclusive Interview: Breath of the Wild controversy, Xbox and PvP clarifications, and more

The ambitious open world action RPG Genshin Impact launches in just a few days. On September 28, PC, PS4, Android, and iOS players will finally dive into a stunning world that stirred quite a bit of controversy when it was first revealed. However, no publicity is bad publicity, and the enraged comparisons to Nintendo's Breath of the Wild by agitated gamers gave it a marketing boost that made it known all over the world. There is still a lot to discover about the new game from the makers of Honkai Impact 3rd, and we've managed to speak with miHoYo about topics such as the BotW controversy, the state of the Nintendo Switch version, the possibility of an Xbox release, and if PvP is in the works, among other things. Read our Genshin Impact exclusive interview below to learn more about this game.

FreeMMOStation: Can you introduce yourself to our readers?

miHoYo: Greetings from the Genshin Impact development team. We are rapidly approaching the official launch on September 28 across PlayStation 4, PC, Android, and iOS. We are thrilled that players will soon be able to experience the game for themselves first-hand. We are always looking for players feedback and suggestions in order to continue to improve the Genshin Impact experience.

FreeMMOStation: How large is the team working on Genshin Impact right before the official launch?

miHoYo: More than 400 people have been a part of the Genshin Impact team across three-and-a-half years of development.

FreeMMOStation: When Genshin Impact was revealed it was – unfairly, in my humble opinion – mocked by unknowing gamers as a knockoff of Breath of the Wild. How did the team react to this first public reveal, did it affect morale, and did change anything in your focus and goals?

miHoYo: Thank you all for your continued support. The goal of Genshin Impact has always been to create a cross-platform open-world game where players can explore the same world together, regardless of platform or device. This goal continues to drive us forward in the development process.

We have heard from many people since the first trailers for the game were released last year. It has been gratifying to see the level of support and positivity from around the world. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is one of the most popular and respected titles in the industry, and one which our staff hold in high regard.

In a post that our team circulated to players last year, we mentioned that The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild was one of our inspirations for creating Genshin Impact as an open-world action RPG. That said, it is important to note that once you actually pick up the game, you will find the experience of Genshin Impact to be very different from that of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Genshin Impact features a fully original story and characters, and the core gameplay revolves around assembling a party of multiple characters and engaging in a combat system based on interactions between different elements. As we go from closed beta to official release, players will soon be able to discover the unique features and joy that Genshin Impact delivers.

FreeMMOStation: This is the first game that miHoYo is developing for consoles. Can you give us an update on the state of the Nintendo Switch version, and is the Xbox definitely out of the question or not?

miHoYo: The Switch version of Genshin Impact is currently under development. More information regarding Switch beta testing and launch dates will be announced at a later time. We currently do not have plans to release the game on Xbox.

FreeMMOStation: There’s some discrepancy on the official character numbers. How many characters will be available in total at launch?

miHoYo: When Genshin Impact officially releases on September 28, there will be over 20 characters available in the game.

FreeMMOStation: You’ve confirmed that a housing system is in the works. Will it be similar to Honkai Impact 3rd, or is it going to be a more in-depth system where players have full control over the home layout, something more akin to The Sims?

miHoYo: We are also discussing ways to customize your appearance, such as new character skins, and we will keep players posted on any new developments.

FreeMMOStation: Mounts and pets are a much-requested feature. You’ve previously mentioned that this was under consideration, is it something that we can really hope for?

miHoYo: We do not have plans to introduce mounts to the game at present. For more details of customization, will keep players updated when we have further confirmed details.

FreeMMOStation: What is the time frame that you have in mind for the release of each additional main city?

miHoYo: Genshin Impact will launch with two of the seven major cities of Teyvat — Mondstadt and Liyue. The third city is currently under development. As this game will be a long-term operation, more content and other main cities will be released after the game is officially launched. Stay tuned!

FreeMMOStation: We’ll end on a tricky subject matter. You’ve said before that Genshin Impact is about a relaxed solo or cooperative experience, but PvP is a divisive topic that the community often talks about. Is miHoYo envisioning a player versus player mode at all for the future of the game?

miHoYo: Genshin Impact was conceived as an immersive open world experience, combining both single-player and co-op to allow you to explore the massive game world with your friends. The Player-Versus-Player experience will not be a feature that Genshin Impact will focus on.

We thank the miHoYo team for taking their time to make this Genshin Impact exclusive interview possible. You can visit the official website to download the game on September 28, 2020 across PC, PS4, Android, and iOS.