Genshin Impact’s revenue took a significant dive in March following the underwhelming debut of Chiori.
Genshin Impact, a game developed by HoYoverse, has become a household name in the gaming world since its release in 2020. Known for its vast open-world exploration and elemental combat system, the game allows players to control a party of characters from the fantasy world of Teyvat.
Chiori, the recently introduced 5-star Geo element character, is a skilled and independent designer from Inazuma determined to make her fashion label a Teyvat-wide sensation.
But despite her compelling backstory and unique abilities designed to enhance team defenses and provide strategic advantages in combat, Chiori has seemingly struggled to captivate the game’s community.
This resulted in March mobile revenue plummeting to $68 million from the $92.8 million reported in February, a more than 30% decrease from the following month, per estimates from Sensor Tower and shared by Gacha Revenue. The introduction of Chiori in March can largely explain this decrease, as her banner covered most of the month.
Despite the anticipation of her launch, Chiori failed to spark significant interest within the community. While offering unique strategic advantages, the Geo element has often been perceived as less appealing compared to more dynamically offensive elements like Pyro or Dendro.
Complicating matters further, the game’s revenue was likely impacted by players’ strategic saving behavior in anticipation of Arlecchino, an upcoming character that had been teased through drip marketing on March 11, 2024, days before Chiori’s release.
Arlecchino has been a fan favorite of many players ever since she first appeared in A Winter Night’s Lazzo trailer. Players met her in the game through the Fontaine Archon quest, and since then, players have been waiting for her release.
With Arlecchino’s release slated for the 4.6 update, some players seem to have decided to withhold their in-game purchases for the arrival of this much-awaited character, which may be responsible for why March revenue plummeted.
Despite these challenges, Genshin Impact’s overall success story remains untouched. The game has been praised for its engaging combat mechanics, expansive world, and immersive narrative.