Genshin Impact has reached staggering new heights after it secured $2 billion in revenue in its first year of release.
Genshin Impact has broken new sales records this year, with developers miHoYo securing a whopping $2 billion in worldwide player spending. A report from Sensor Tower found that this figure was only generated by App Store and Google Play purchases. While Genshin Impact’s official console and PC sales have yet to be published, it is expected that this figure will rise even further.
The news comes just days after Genshin Impact kicked off its official Anniversary Event – an update that has since been met with outrage and disappointment. Despite this backlash, miHoYo shows no signs of slowing things down and fans can expect plenty more content updates as the game enters its second year.
Genshin Impact hits $2 billion in mobile sales
According to Tower Sensor, “Genshin Impact was the No. 3 revenue-generating mobile game globally,” which put it just behind Tencent’s Honor of Kings and PUBG Mobile. The mobile version even managed to beat Niantic’s Pokemon Go, demonstrating just how popular miHoYo’s free-to-play title is.
Of course, this isn’t all that surprising considering Genshin Impact has consistently broken sales records around the world – in fact, the game famously generated $1billion in mobile revenue alone during its first six months. Since then, the free-to-play title has continued to reach staggering new heights.
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Unlike traditional console RPGs, Genshin Impact features character banners that reward players with a variety of characters. These banners require Acquaint Fates and Intertwined Fates – an in-game currency that enables players to potentially win new 4 or 5-star units like Kokomi and Baal.
While players can get through the game with Genshin Impact’s free characters, many fans often try their luck on the latest banners. This can be an incredibly costly affair, particularly when the 5-star you’re rolling for isn’t a guaranteed drop. In fact, some players have reportedly spent upwards of $5k trying to get their favorite units.
Rare and powerful weapons are also dished out in the same way, while players can even spend Primogems to bypass certain time-gated content. Combine this with Genshin Impact’s ever-growing roster of characters, expansive updates, and seasonal events – and you have an incredibly lucrative business model.
There’s certainly no denying just how impactful MiHoYo’s free-to-play has been in the mobile market, and we’ll likely see more from exciting developments from the team in the years to come.