On September 28, the cooperative RPG Genshin Impact launches as a free-to-play game with a so-called gacha system. Does this mean it is pay-to-win?
What is Genshin Impact? The free-to-play cooperative RPG will be released on September 28 for PC, PS4, and Android and iOS devices. The version for Nintendo Switch will be released later.
You will experience an adventure in a colorful anime fantasy world and team up with up to 3 other players starting at level 16. Together, you will complete quests, explore dungeons, and fight boss enemies. This will improve your hero. Due to its appearance, it has been referred to as a Zelda clone.
This is how the gacha system of Genshin Impact works
How is the RPG funded? There is an item shop with cosmetic items and a so-called gacha system. This works similarly to a loot box system.
What exactly does the gacha system provide? In the loot boxes, you will find new heroes and weapons. Heroes add variety to the game, as each has different abilities. Weapons are of course important for battles.
How does the gacha system work? You first need to buy the premium currency Primogems. You then use these to purchase a loot box with random items. What is in this box, you will not know beforehand.
How much does Primogem cost? In the beta, 60 Primogem could be purchased for 99 cents. For $14.99, you could get 980 gems plus 110 extra, and for $99.99, players could buy 6480 Primogem plus 1600 extra.
Whether these prices will remain the same at the release of Genshin Impact or be adjusted is still unclear. The Euro prices are also not yet known.
How much does a so-called gacha pull cost? Pulling once at the gacha machine to get a loot box cost 160 Primogem in the beta of the cooperative RPG.
A controversial system
What are the chances of finding weapons and heroes? These were the chances during the beta.
- The chance to pull a 5-star character was 0.3%.
- The chance to get a 5-star weapon was 0.6%.
- There was a 5.1% chance to obtain weapons and characters with 4 stars.
Are there other ways to obtain characters and items? There are supposed to be ongoing events in Genshin Impact that offer heroes and weapons as rewards. How often these events will happen is unclear.
However, you can also buy a monthly pass for $4.99, which also grants a one-time 300 Primogem and 90 additional gems every day.
What do beta testers say about the gacha system? Opinions, such as on reddit, are somewhat divided. It is said that it is actually not necessary to use the system. With the freely available characters and items, you can play Genshin Impact without any problems.
However, the additional characters bring variety as they play differently. It might get a bit boring in the long run to always control the same free heroes. If that does not matter to you, then you do not have to worry about additional characters.
The chances in the gacha system currently seem too low for some. You may have to spend a lot of money to finally get the desired character.
However, it may be that all of this will balance out when Genshin Impact is released on September 28. How the system will be received by the broader player base and whether the developers will make adjustments to prices and chances will be seen then.
Is it pay-to-win? As beta testers say that it is basically not necessary to use the gacha system to complete Genshin Impact and because it is a PvE game, it is – as it currently appears – not actually pay-to-win. But this will only be properly clarified upon release.
What do you think of the gacha system of Genshin Impact? Is it pay-to-win for you?
Do you want to check out other anime online games? Then read our article that presents you a selection of anime MMORPGs .
