The globally popular RPG game Genshin Impact is officially set to launch on Xbox on November 20, 2024. Microsoft and HoyoVerse released this long-awaited news about the Genshin Impact Xbox Version during Gamescom 2024, expanding the game’s access beyond its present platforms of PC, PlayStation and mobile devices.
The Xbox version of Genshin Impact will be offered as part of the Xbox Game Pass service. Although no specific details were made public, it is anticipated that this tie-in could provide exclusive benefits to Game Pass subscribers similar to those found in other games available on this service. This could improve the gaming experience on Xbox, thus making the console interesting to more gamers.
Microsoft and HoyoVerse launch an aggressive marketing campaign
Microsoft and HoyoVerse have started preparing fans by launching a major advertisement campaign before the official game release. High-level adverts have been set up in key locations including New York’s Times Square and London, UK. These advertisements mostly highlight the fact that Genshin Impact will soon be playable on Xbox, together with a QR code for preordering the title. The amount of these advertisements in such prestigious locations also indicates how critical this release is going to be for the two companies.
Furthermore, Microsoft UK has advanced the initiative further by organizing a pop-up event at Lancaster Place in London. The pop-up event featured Genshin impact cosplayers, hands-on demo units and attendees opportunities to collect in-game items. This event reflects similar promotional attempts that Microsoft has employed in the past like in the case of Persona 5, another title formerly absent from the Xbox platform. Such activities are meant to generate anticipation concerning the availability of the game on the Xbox platform.
Xbox secures a major win with Genshin Impact’s arrival
In the case of Microsoft, the acquisition of Genshin Impact on Xbox is a win in its continued attempts to attract more famous titles to the platform. The absence of support from third-party developers has led to Microsoft being criticized and the addition of Genshin Impact is an approach aimed at addressing these criticisms. Genshin Impact integration into the Xbox Game Pass will more likely recruit a fresh audience, especially the Gen Z users who have been very interested in the HoyoVerse games.
For HoyoVerse, there is a possibility of capturing a new audience as Genshin Impact Xbox is made available given that the game is getting close to saturation in its existing platforms. This partnership also fuels the speculation that other HoyoVerse titles like Honkai Star Rail and Zenless Zone Zero will one day feature in the Xbox as well, thus strengthening the ties between the two companies.
