Sources
•IGN, (28 Sept 2020). Genshin Impact – Official Launch Trailer [Video], https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLUY1nICQRY
•Genshin Impact, (3 Nov 2023). Version 4.2 “Masquerade of the Guilty” Trailer [Video], https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Ip43DfbkUw
•Genshin Impact, (28 Sept 2020). Teyvat Chapter Storyline preview: Travail [Video], https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAlKhARUcoY
•Candy Crush Lover, (13 Jun 2021). Unlimited Color BomBs & wrapped Candy Combo [Video], https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eb6k8yyLl2A
•KyoStinV, (28 Aug 2022). Rune Puzzle in Apam Woods, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwvtAAMxS_U&list=PLNgrku2z_iBlN6n5ivudfoPTr5G6U-3Bq&index=179
•KurokiRyuu, (9 Nov 2023). Genshin Impact 4.2 – Insanely Lucky Furina Gacha Pulls [Video], https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tR563YRQxHU
•Statista (Nov 6 2023). Genshin Impact – Statistics & Facts, https://www.statista.com/topics/10100/genshin-impact/#topicOverview
•Nieborg (2015). Crushing Candy: The Free-to-Play Game in Its Connective Commodity Form. Sage Publications: New York.
•AI Voice-Over Feature by ElevenLabs
•Captioning by ClipChamp
I played Genshin Impact for a while when it first came out and definitely felt the pull(haha) to spend money on the in game currency from time to time though I never actually did. I think the popularity and passionate fanbase that this game has is due to its position as free to play. Its accessibility is its strongsuit- anyone can play it even if they don’t think of themselves as a video game person. They can try it out for free and if it manages to hook them they can choose to spend money later. The gacha system is definitely predatory though especially because of the afformentioned accessibility. This was likely many players’ introduction to gambling mechanics and as such they didn’t realize the pattern they were potentially laying the groundwork for.