Genshin Impact is coming to Xbox.
As announced on Xbox Wire, Genshin Impact will be coming on November 20, 2024. The game will be playable on Xbox Series X|S, and as part of the Game Pass game library. Under Game Pass Ultimate, it will be playable using Xbox Cloud Gaming, aside from PC and Xbox Series X|S.
Xbox players get all of the same cross-play and cross-progression functions that they get on other platforms, and Microsoft also promises there will be in-game rewards just for Game Pass Ultimate subscribers.
As of this writing there are separate listing for the base Genshin Impact game, as well as the pre-order bundle. The pre-order bundle listing also states that these items will be part of the bundle:
“Genshin Impact – Xbox Pre-Order Bundle
For a limited time only, pre-order this bundle to receive the following bonus in-game items after the game’s official launch:
- Advanced Character EXP Material: Hero’s Wit ×15
- Advanced Weapon Enhancement Material: Mystic Enhancement Ore ×20
The standard items included in this bundle are as follows:
- Wishing Item: Acquaint Fate ×2
- Currency: Mora ×150,000
- Character EXP Material: Hero’s Wit ×15
- Weapon Enhancement Material: Mystic Enhancement Ore ×20
- Food Item: Rainbow Macarons ×10”
It isn’t clear for now if these pre-order items will be the same rewards that will be given to Game Pass Ultimate subscribers, but Microsoft could definitely make a better deal for their loyal customers.
As we reported, when Valorant finally came to open beta for Xbox Series X|S, Game Pass subscribers all the playable characters unlocked, as well as a some other in-game bonuses. These are the same benefits that Game Pass subscribers got on PC, but PlayStation 5 users didn’t get any comparable benefits.
Now, as you may know, Genshin Impact has as much as 80 characters to collect. But players can’t buy these characters directly. Instead they have to deal with a gacha system, which means you have to earn in-game currency to get a chance to get these characters.
But to add to that, characters are only available on time limited events called banner events. As console gamers well know, they can end up spending far more on this gacha system, than if they bought a single $ 60, even $ 70 game.
Can Microsoft convince HoYoverse to give Game Pass Ultimate subscribers all their Genshin Impact characters, the same way they got Riot Games to do it for Valorant? It may be a tall order, but we think it would be worth it for Microsoft to pay for this, too.
They have certainly already gotten more than Nintendo Switch owners, who thought they were getting a port at the start of that console’s lifespan. Maybe HoYoverse can bring it, and Zenless Zone Zero, to the Switch 2? As it stands, HoYoverse doesn’t seem to be sincere about wanting to be on Nintendo, even if they keep saying they want it. There’s only one thing they can do now to prove me, and their doubters, wrong.
