Only A Year Later, Honkai: Star Rail Succeeds Where Genshin Impact Failed

I’m sure at this point you’re well aware of what gacha is, but did you know about it before Genshin Impact? I’m sure many people hadn’t even heard the term before.

So, what exactly is gacha? It’s a term coming from the Japanese gachapon machines, where you spend money to try your luck at prizes of varying rarity. This was soon translated into the gacha sub-genre of video games, primarily for the mobile. Games like Granblue Fantasy and Fate Grand Order are some of the longest-running examples.

Then, along came Genshin and made it all known to the entire world. It’s still one of my favorite gacha games. However, it wasn’t without flaws and some critical upgrades, which unfortunately have been a cry on deaf ears so far. What’s more, the developer’s next game, Honkai: Star Rail, is miles better when it comes to consistent improvements.

Genshin Impact Is A Little Too Stingy

Before I begin, I’ll make this clear, I have been playing both these games since day one, and thus I’ve witnessed their update cycles in extreme detail. After all that, I can say with confidence that Honkai: Star Rail has accomplished more in player engagement and feedback in a year than what Genshin did in more than three years.

First, since it’s a gacha game, let’s discuss what you can get as an F2P. And right off the bat, Honkai: Star Rail has Genshin beat. It features more newbie rewards than Genshin issued, and it has maintained this generosity throughout its first year. Genshin never gave a free SSR product in three years despite fans’ neverending demands, but Honkai: Star Rail comes with one from the get-go.

These games are designed to run for 40-day cycles, filled with events and new mechanics to play and earn the currency from. Honkai: Star Rail features a more generous reward system even in its basics. A standard event in Genshin rewards you with 420 gems (the gacha currency), while Honkai operates at a 500 baseline. Plus, it gives you a whopping 10 free limited rolls in every version, while Genshin laughs at you for being F2P.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Genshin_Memepact/comments/18k46v2/did_we_got_ratiod/

What’s more, Honkai: Star Rail has a lot more for you to do every week, while Genshin suffers from a severe lack of content, which brings us to the next point.

Genshin Says “What Is Endgame Content?” While Star Rail Believes “There’s Not Enough Of It”

I’ve already expressed in detail how Genshin Impact suffers from a critical lack of end-game content, but it only worsens. Especially when you see Honkai: Star Rail getting a new game mode almost every version. What was our fault, my fellow Genshin players?

Genshin Impacts hardest endgame content gets max cleared , 36 stars, on a 6 day f2p account.
by ingachagaming

Ever since Genshin was released more than 3 years ago, it only had a single end-game mode, the Spiral Abyss. This involved battling a tough lineup in a strict time limit. I appreciate that, I really do, but is that all? So far, that seems the case, yes. It resets every 15 days and provides a measly 600 gems every two weeks. Clear it, and you’re back to the barren end-game.

On the contrary, look at Honkai: Star Rail. The game was released with two end-game modes (Simulated Universe and Forgotten Hall) right from the start, and in just one year, it has added 4 worlds to its Simulated Universe, two massive expansions, Swarm Disaster and Golds and Gears, A whole new mode called Pure Fiction, and extra rounds to the Forgotten Hall, it’s essentially end-game content galore.

Not only do you have a ton of stuff to play between versions, but it rewards you a lot more gems than Genshin ever does. Makes me wonder, just what did we do to deserve this?

Summary of the interview with gamespot is like “please look forward to another endgame content TCG, nothing more: still considering travelers skin, no resin cap increase, no new abyss floor; no old character buff” 😅
Full interview: https://t.co/0pfah4jZsD#GenshinImpact #原神

— Genshin Update  (@GenshinUpdate) October 4, 2022

We Had To Fight For Anniversary Rewards in Genshin, Honkai: Star Rail Hands Them On A Silver Platter

Now for the reason why I opened this discussion in the first place, the anniversary rewards. If you’re not aware, gacha games have a long-standing tradition of providing a lot of free stuff, primarily the gacha pulls, when they celebrate their anniversary.

Thus, when the most popular gacha game on the planet was nearing its first anniversary, expectations were through the roof. People thought they’d get a ton of free pulls, and even free SSRs. However, the reality was a lot more cruel. Genshin Impact barely issued 10 free pulls for such a grand event, incurring the wrath of the entire player base. 

Genshin Impact 1st Anniversary in a nutshell
byu/oztf inGenshin_Memepact

The backlash was so intense that the devs were forced to deliver an additional 10 pulls, which is still nothing. Although the hate explosion continued, no more stuff was issued, and these measly 20 pulls became a norm for subsequent anniversaries. 

Now, on to Honkai: Star Rail, which is going to celebrate its first anniversary on April 26th, and I was as surprised as I was angry at Genshin Impact when I saw that it truly cares for its loyal player base.

Not only did Star Rail players get a free limited SSR sometime earlier (Yeah, you heard me right, a limited SSR, What the hell’s wrong with Genshin, then?) but 30 additional rolls alongside permanent additions and auxiliary upgrades like improved rates of farmable stuff.

First anniversary of Honkai compared to Genshin.
byu/Lucas_Ilario inGenshin_Memepact

Star Rail Is Even Getting Genshin’s Share At This Point

All in all, it’s safe to say that Genshin Impact is in a pretty dangerous spot, the way it continues to ignore its fans’ pleas. Everything we have demanded from Genshin in terms of QoL like extra inventory and Resin management, Star Rail has received it instead in a much better and honestly frustrating way. I love Star Rail, which makes me all the more mad about Genshin’s apathy.

Mihoyo should treat Genshin with some more respect and better in comparison to their treatment with their Honkai games.
byu/ReHuoDragon inGenshinImpact

They’re both Hoyoverse games, and bringing in a ton of fame and cash, yet one is getting all the updates while the other goes ignored. Goes to show how much leadership affects a project. Props to Dawei honestly for keeping Honkai: Star Rail so generous, and Genshin, please stop this treatment.