Genshin Impact Fan Frustration Boils Over As Backlash Goes Viral

Lol he made the girl look worse in that first post ngl

I do find it very slightly weird how darker skinned people seemingly don't exist in the game but I don't care. I'm absolutely rolling for chasca and mauvika

Wow, that is absolutely vile. If you don't want to use people with melanin then don't use their cultures/religions. Stick to the ones that look like you.

If the next dynasty warriors game was now all Black people (but still the same historical Chinese characters), I am positive Chinese people would be livid.

i never saw these characters as white, always thought of them as asian.
either way these games are trash.

As a minority, it pisses me off to no extent that these people always NEED representation... Wtf is so empty in their lives that they need others to bend over backwards to please them? Why always the victim route? Nobody ever takes any responsibility or acts reasonable. It's always these screeching whiners.

It's so pathetic. I hate it. I never want to be victimized or shoved into people's throats under the excuse of "representation".

Can't stand this money grabbing company from the CCP, but if I'm siding with them then there's something seriously wrong with people.

Say, have actual people from Africa and South America who also actually play the game spoke against it? If not then I don't care, its a nothingburger and should be treated as one.

Just like Assassin's Creed Shadow and Netflix Cleopatra, let the people who were actually offended speak and take action agains it.

I prefer the sexy style of the devs just as someone looking at it from the outside. Why does it have to be accurate? Artists are free to express themselves how they feel. No one is forcing it down your throat. There are literally millions of other games for people to enjoy. Go find something else to play instead of wasting time bi**ing about it on the internet -.-'
...but I guess this is what people like to do these days.

@CielloArc
There actually is a case for AC Shadows. I made the mistake of going on Reddit, but actually saw the good side of the outrage.
Asians felt offended, because they're never good enough. They're always either whitewashed or this...
There are so many Japanese samurai, so many stories in their history, but Ubisoft ON PURPOSE went for the controversial choice

Oh, noes. Anyway.

"at this point just delete your nasty money grabbing game because you put NO effort when it comes to ACTUAL correct representation 💀💀 #BOYCOTTHYV #GenshinImpact"

At this point, just stop playing the game. There. Problem solved.

@KillerBoy it’s not DEI but alright sure whatever.

@BeerIsAwesome "People are fine with regency era characters in British dramas being played by people of colour, so I think it's more like a "pick your battles" scenario."

Are they? Because internet comments/rage would suggest otherwise.

@naruball Thankfully internet comments are not real life!

Even if its inspired by african culture…. Isnt this a fictional world? Plus why do people need representation anyways

Crazy how like uneducated this comment section is. With sumeru I could have agreed with some of yall but if this new place legit is supposed to be Africa and South America is it really that hard to make one maybe two darker characters? Its really not asking much like it just gets downright weird if they keep doing this or ignoring the controversy.

@Specky Shouldn't the exact same thing apply to Africans, though? Unless we're saying there's more black representation than Japanese representation?

I mean, I don't care much personally to be outraged on someone else's behalf, but it's certainly weird in this case that there's no darker skin tones in this African-inspired region. While, going back to your comparison, Yasuke is based on an actual figure that was black. So, at the very least, I would think it would make more sense to be upset about Genshin rather than Shadows.

@RoomWithaMoose exactly what I’m trying to say cheers mate.

@DennisReynolds bingo

Oh, another stupid thing people get mad about. Should have imagined even without reading.

@Ryne-Gaia Its because PQ for some reason attracts far too many chuds. Its always the usual suspects who against this stuff on here. Critical Drinker and Nerdrotic have rotted their brains.

@Specky Funny how these supposed "japanese gamers" had no issue with Nioh. Also right now far too many white overgrown manbabies are posing as Japanese people to fake outrage.

Bwahahahaha this is too hilarious and amusing just like how some people crying about Yasuke and threaten to boycott AC Shadows 🤣

And lo and behold, the cries always came out from that rotten and toxic Elon platform, twatter 🤣

I don't play cheap imitation Anime so I don't have a dog in the fight but if they are going to use other cultures at least try to have the characters resemble their cultures a bit or else just stick with white/Asian.

@DennisReynolds
Nioh is made by a japanese developer, and Nioh also wasn't trying to be anything other than an action game with some japanese background.

@Specky "As a minority, it pisses me off to no extent that these people always NEED representation..."

Sir breath! If they are using African gods than is it out of the pale that they resemble an African? If they made Zeus a black guy with an Afro people would be losing their minds the other direction 😐

I stopped reading at “cultural appropriation” 🙄 hate that concept, so divisive.

It is extremely strange to me of course, as I’ve grown up in a mixed country (UK) but if the more homogenous Chinese want to have that reflected in their game then who am I to demand otherwise? It’s their game world.

Now if it was spreading negative stereotypes of others then that’s a completely different thing worthy of condemnation, but they can put whomever they wish in their own game, and leave out whomever they wish.

And if anyone needs to know I’m not a person of colour so perhaps my opinion is irrelevant. I’m also part Chinese (well, Hong Kongese), so maybe worse than irrelevant. I don’t care.

@Ryu_Niiyama all black dynasty warriors would actually be sick lmao

@DennisReynolds I absolutely despise these grifters, all of them including HvB and RKO.

@Ryu_Niiyama this

There's a petition for just about anything nowadays lmao

@CielloArc @DennisReynolds The protagonist, William, is actually also based on a real guy- the same inspiration for the character of Blackthorn in Shogun.

It's kinda weird...as a kid I always used to be forced to use mostly white dudes in games. Nowadays...I make mostly white people when I have access to character creation because that's what looks good to me despite me not being white myself. Would X say that I've been groomed?

Why is no one picking on their huge anime eyes?

Where's the representation when it comes to human eyes? Why only skin color?

Some people really get offended and angry at anything and everything.

@Specky There's something more wrong with you if you're this okay with taking a backseat on everything.

@thefourfoldroot1 Except they do spread negative stereotypes about black people too. Even in this game. And they've been doing so for years. It's just that fans have been turning a blindeye to it.

@Cry_Zero I'm assuming you're not even a minority, let alone see the culture they're misrepresenting.

@CielloArc Plenty of black people spoke against this. Quit moving the goalpost already.

Everything is derivative. Give it up. It's a fictional world. They won't change anything. If you don't like it, don't play it. Simple.

@Olmaz they don't necessarily reflect real life, but to say that no one has issues with that is contrary to reality.

@BeerIsAwesome exactly

@KillerBoy is this a MightyKeef reference?

@CielloArc Poor excuse. Nioh used a white lead based on a real person just like AC is using a black lead based on a real person. Both AC and Nioh are fantasy games not rooted in real world reality. The reality is if William was the lead of Shadows no one would care, people only care over who Shadows is using because racism.

@J2theEzzo Yeah i know just like Shadows is also using a real historical figure who fun fact is in Nioh as a boss.

@KillerBoy well said!

Getting their twitter tantrums linked in this article might be the greatest achievement in these people’s lives.

What's worse is people who still haven't figured out that all this diversity is actually just pandering by corporations to make more money. They are milking you in a slick way. Things are being made from a checklist now. It's just marketing and none of them really care about it. I will never tell any creator how to create. I just walk away and not support them. Fake diversity is worse than changing the natural thinking of a person. It's a fake world that has some influences, but not all. Most people would never even connect it. TIme to grow up.

Just so we're clear, as I don't play the game, this isn't actually supposed to be Africa and South America, correct, just some fantasy ideas "based on?"

I really wouldn't expect anything MiHoYo makes to be culturally representative OF THE PLANET, just China, and I've watched way too many Chinese movies in my life and can't recall any famous African Americans or Latins.

Now if they are supposed to be representing an actual God from one of those places, a little skin color would be nice, but I don't know if it's their God or just the name? I recall there have been more than a few white folk upset seeing a Spanish guy named Jesus (FYI it's pronounced HAY-Zeus not Gee-zus) so a name alone doesn't necessarily represent a certain person.

It's a Chinese company making fantasy games for Chinese people to play on their mobile devices, it isn't the sitcom "Friends" set in NYC. I'm still worn out from that fight, don't' need any new ones, thanks.

https://www.wmagazine.com/story/friends-co-creator-marta-kauffman-regrets-white-legacy-90s-sitcom

The culture war has ruined some of your brains. I won't say any more than this.

People do get that this is a Chinese game, right? What did you expect? You think they care?
If they make them black i am guessing they will get backlash in China instead. 🤷
Maybe don't play Chinese games if you care that much.

Good god, the world and it's people are weird.

@Lavishturtle I mean, sometimes it is just pandering. Sometimes it's genuine interest in culture, either from someone from that culture or outside of it. Sometimes it's both (Miles Morales or Disney's Princess and the Frog).

I think your take is overly cynical, and ignores that even pandering can be socio-emotionally beneficial for ostracized minorities. And, in this specific case, it wouldn't be pandering at all. These are African-inspired characters and lands; it just makes sense for them to invoke Africans to some degree. I'm not saying they morally are required to, but it would be extremely sensible.

Once I saw an asian american girl saying people who weren't from asia didn't have any right to make anything with asian style that included from anime drawings to chinese tattoos, that day I stopped believing in "cultural appropriation" because most people won't call it out for the respect to culture, they will do it just to keep a false sense of superiority.

I know in this case there is people who actually want Hoyo to respect those cultures/societies and that's cool but given the amount of hype the pink haired girl and the mech girl from ZZZ are getting just for the size of their chest I don't think people will be mad that much time, Hoyo only needs to add more girls with similar characteristics for them to forget lol.

@djlard Shame on being black rawer

@rjejr Well Olroun is an actual pantheon god along with Yemoja now if they are still being worshipped is another thing all together. We've seen many variations of Greek and Roman gods but they are currently being worshiped. If they were choosing gods from India it would be more of an issue because these gods are still actively being worshipped.

LOL at those tweets 😂😂😂

Oh looky, whiny people complaining on the whiny people platform. Twitter is a cesspit.

I just read Genshin Impact cs team reply for the complaint, which they basically asked people who complaint to touch some grass because GI is a work of fiction. Lmao i love it 🤣

This world became weirder and weirder every day where people can't even separate fiction and reality.

I am sure these are same people who vehemently defend ubisoft choice to have a tall black dude butchering small Japanese men in feudal Japan but complain about chris redfield taking out black ouroboros zombies in RE5 despite the game being set in west africa in the modern day at the time and having completely ludicrous story like all RE games.

This has to be the dumbest nothing burger boycott I've seen in a long time.

Supporters of this don't even commit to not play the game they are so addicted to.

Fantasy game made by a Chinese company.
"predominantly white cast"

Are you sure about that author? I'll tell you now the people in anime are often supposed to be Asian.

Lol representation, not ever once when I'm gaming I think "man I wish this game represent me", because I'm not a narcissist that must "see myself in games I play".

Only western (mostly america) "gamers" think like that, which I means western (mostly america) twitter users that rarely play games.

@KillerBoy when they swap the skintone at god of war or final fantasy 7 remake no one complains.
Now they do it for genshin and it is wrong.
This is one reason why i see the game industry imploding.

Genshin fans,proving why Genshin Impact was a mistake once more.

Hoyoverse is also at fault for cultivating their rabid fanbase to what it is today,so they get no mercy from me.

@wiiware If you don't mind me asking, what demographic are you? Ethnicity, gender, and/or sexuality?

Oh no, wacky people on social media are angry again, must be tuesday.

Natlan is INSPIRED BY those regions and isn't ACTUALLY those regions, it's just a fantasy game. Therefore Hoyoverse can put any kind of character in there they want, it's their game.

@guestwork
It's like the kid crying wolf.
At some point nobody's gonna take them seriously. I admit I didn't pay attention to what the controversy actually was when writing the comment, because it's always the same.
Bunch of loner basement dwellers crying up a storm on social media. That's still the case here though.

At the end of the day, it's THEIR game. They have the right to do whatever they want with it and the crybabies have the right to stop playing the damn game.

I always complain about Ubisoft and I always back it up with not paying them anything. I voice my criticism, because I expect better from them and move on with my life. I don't have ANY authority over Ubisoft. They can do what they want.

@RoomWithaMoose Male, Asian/Indonesian. My favs games are castlevania sotn (starring not even human but half-human half-vampire), metal gear solid snake psone (starring solid snake, an american person), and tlou 1 (starring joel and ellie, a very white american male and female person).

I play games to escape reality, to become someone else in different world, I think it's boring if I only play games that have asian male as protagonist, when in gaming, I can be anyone, even a sun goddess, amaterasu

@guestwork you assumed wrong. My culture and people are never represented. And we grt hated on on a daily basis where i live. And i still dont need representation in media 🤷‍♂️

@wiiware Fellow Indonesian with the same gaming taste and way of thinking 🤝

"When in gaming, I can be anyone, even a sun goddess, amaterasu"

Yes this 🤝

I'm just glad i'm not stuck with the idea of "video games must represent my gender, skin, and race" or i wouldn't played plenty of great games where i role play as a blue hedgehog, a big ape, a raccoon, a bandicoot, an italian plumber, a badass female galactic bounty hunter, an angry spartan warrior, a cyborg, ninja, etc etc.

I've seen many gamers especially from western countries are too caught up with the culture war. They forgot about video games is a work of fiction and the reason why we played video games is to have fun.

@wiiware Well I wouldn't say you're coming from a position of privilege, then (at least from an ethic angle). So you have my respect in that regard.

Although, with that said, I don't think anyone but actual racist/sexists have a problem with protagonists — both in and out of gaming — that don't represent their demographic. And you're right, one of the great things about video games is being placed in a role outside of one's real self. Which is why diversity and variety in protagonists is appreciated.

Which is too say, a Brazilian can openly enjoy playing as a blue hedgehog, while simultaneously hoping more games representative of their culture will come to exist. That's one of the greatest things about art, is it allows cultures to share themselves with others. And while Sonic can run through Brazilian inspired landscapes, which is great, that's a very superficial exploration of culture. Whereas something like that recent ZAU, the Metroidvania seeping in African culture and actually staring an African, is a wonderful example of what diversity in gaming can mean.

@PuppetMaster Hello. Yup, also it will be problematic if I only play games that represent me, since I like to play violent games like hotlines miami and grand theft auto 5 too lol.

@RoomWithaMoose There's no privilege in gaming, we all gamers. And I do think gamers doesn't give a single f about diversity either, if the games good it will sells, if it's not, it won't sells.

I don't think zau is diverse, isn't the developers that made it from usa? I think blasphemous is more diverse because its made by developers from spain, I like blasphemous because it's a good games though, not because it's diverse.

@wiiware There is privilege in gaming — in all entertainment, really. I'm a gamer, and I give many Fs about diversity. You referenced Okami, which is partially great because of its cultural emphasis.

There's certainly something to your assertion that a team making something outside of their own culture is on a lower level than something made within that culture. Buuut, I personally see no reason why any depiction of a culture should be disregarded due to who made it. Especially considering that a member of a creator team CAN be of that culture AND they can be actively leading the team. Unless you know the completely composition of the team, you really can't say. And it shouldn't matter either way as long as there's a great deal of respect shown towards the target culture.

EDIT: Also just checked, and the director was ZAU was a British actor of Kenyen decent. So yeah, what I said.

@RoomWithaMoose Well, let's just agree to disagree then 😃

Isn't the rule "If they have giant eyes and a triangle nose they're not humans they're a cat species"? You will notice this in the majority of anime too. If they're going to add a character with melanin they're usually portrayed correctly if all the other characters are humans too (for those of you thinking DBZ). This game is about humanoid cats in a cat universe no reason to get offended but I do see where you are coming from.

when companies start putting lackluster content in their games that have MTX and RNG in their games you should be aware its due to whales and a sizeable amount of that's games base that propel the revenue forward which compels devs to work even less when the MTX revenue is paying for itself and their salaries

@PuppetMaster

A badass female galactic bounty hunter

Is this an actual game? If so which?

@Cherip-the-Ripper Samus Aran, the protagonist of Metroid series.

@themightyant But you do realise the letter change is because the letter L basically doesn't exist in East asian languages? That's why Krillin, from dragonball, is called Kururin in Japanese because, again, there is no letter L.

@themightyant In all honesty, I don't even care about the game, or any gacha style game for that matter. I'm just saying, the point about the name change is moot, because the letters vary across languages. That said, I think it's fair to complain that a game that riffs off cultures doesnt even attempt to do them justice, because otherwise, they may as well have created an original character with an original name.