Microsoft has partnered with HoYoverse on a big Xbox ‘Genshin Impact’ marketing campaign
It’s better late than never: Microsoft just realized the biggest game in a generation could boost Xbox.
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What you need to know
They say it’s better late than never, right?! Few things could represent that statement like Genshin Impact on Xbox.
A little while ago,I wrote an editorial calling out Xbox for missing out on HoyoVerse’s games. Genshin Impact, Zenless Zone Zero, and Honkai Star Rail are some of this generation’s most popular games, representingbillionsof dollars in revenue in a relatively short space of time. These games represent a new generation of truly “universal” titles, which run across consoles, mobile platforms, and PC, with account synchronicity and free-to-play access. They’re incredibly popular with the gen-z cohort, too, and their absence from Xbox has essentially alienated millions of gamers from even considering the platform. That is, until last month.
At Gamescom 2024, Microsoft and HoYoverse (MiHoYo) revealed thatGenshin Impact will drop on Xbox on November 20, 2024. Additionally, Genshin Impact on Xbox will have some form of tie-in withXbox Game Pass. Other free-to-play games on Game Pass enjoy added benefits. In the case of Valorant and League of Legends, Xbox and PC Game Pass subscribers get access to the full roster of characters, without having to purchase them piecemeal.
Microsoft and HoYoverse also want the general public to know that Genshin Impact is coming to Xbox, and a variety of tweets over the last couple of weeks showcases how Xbox is ramping up marketing the game.
A ver cuándo xbox hace promoción de algo!!! pic.twitter.com/OlDTBeQ5qgSeptember 2, 2024
Microsoft has dropped large banner ads across New York in the United States, showcasing the game’s pending availability on Xbox, complete with a wishlist QR code. You can evenpre-download Genshin Impact on Xbox right now, right here, if you so choose.
Additionally, Microsoft UK had a pop-up event in Lancaster Place in London yesterday, complete with Genshin Impact cosplayers, hands-on demo units, and even in-game items to pick up.
💎 New Quest Unlocked 💎Check out the @GenshinImpact Xbox offline pop-up event happening today @ Lancaster Place until 6pm 🥰 https://t.co/AvJQ8hxXoF pic.twitter.com/sn0BrDdIfJSeptember 2, 2024
The marketing blitz is similar to Microsoft’s efforts around Persona 5 last year, which is another game that was notoriously Xbox-absent. It seems marketing support is one way in which Microsoft is able to coax publishers over to the Xbox platform, despite its “third place” status in terms of install base. For both parties, it should be a win-win, as the Game Pass tie-in should yield new users for Microsoft, with HoyoVerse gaining access to a potentially fresh audience as it hits saturation levels on its existing platforms.
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There’s at least some evidence that Genshin Impact has been cannibalized by other HoYoverse games, including Honkai Star Rail and Zenless Zone Zero, which are at least superficially similar in playstyle and addressable audience. Honkai Star Rail and Zenless Zone Zero currently have PlayStation 5 exclusivity, but given Genshin’s appearance on Xbox, it’s probably only a matter of time before they hit Xbox and Xbox Game Pass too in the future.
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There has been a lot of criticism of Xbox of late (or well, for years) over support from third-party developers for the platform. We’re getting Genshin Impact finally, albeit a bit late. Microsoft has also worked hard to landFinal Fantasy 14, Persona, and Yakuza on Xbox in recent years. However, we’ve also seen Black Myth Wukong skip Xbox, and just yesterday,Enotria: The Last Song blamed a lack of support from Xboxfor indefinitely delaying their game on the platform.Capcom has also skipped over Xbox for its Fighting Game Collection 2and other retro ports, although I’m hearing that should be resolved relatively soon … (update:it was resolved.)
RELATED:On Xbox’s growing pains, and its strange future
Microsoft has had wins too, of course. They had a large presence withPlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds on console, which kickstarted the entire battle royale genre into popularity.Xbox also landed Palworld exclusivelyearlier this year, which was Q1’s biggest game on Steam.
The added scrutiny on Xbox is symptomatic of its inconsistent messaging and apparent apathy towards its console platform in recent months, as it gives up on exclusive games and begins porting its full slate of titles to PlayStation 5 — who will naturally (almost certainly) never reciprocate. I have no idea what the future will hold for Xbox, but at the very least,Xbox players will have access to Genshin Impactbetween now and then.
Genshin Impact
Genshin Impact is an anime-styled action RPG from HoYoverse. Free-to-play with a large story and massive continuous world, Genshin Impact has tons of character classes to collect, bosses to slay, and regions to explore.
See at:Xbox Store|HoYoverse
Jez Corden is the Executive Editor at Windows Central, focusing primarily on all things Xbox and gaming. Jez is known for breaking exclusive news and analysis as relates to the Microsoft ecosystem while being powered by tea. Follow onTwitter (X)andThreads, and listen to hisXB2 Podcast, all about, you guessed it, Xbox!
