Genshin Impact has been revealed to be the most discussed game in 2022 on Twitter so far. While it may initially seem that viral hits like Wordle and big-name games like Elden Ring would be talked about more, Genshin Impact‘s popularity isn’t to be underestimated. The free-to-play RPG from HoYoverse (previously miHoYo) has a vast and dedicated fanbase, and the company frequently interacts with its fandom on social media in a variety of ways.
Since its launch in 2020, Genshin Impact has been a hit. In fact, Genshin Impact made $1 billion in less than six months after its release, and its profits and player count have only continued to climb. Even with dips in concurrent players between larger updates, fans engage with the game via fan art and cosplay, and HoYoverse encourages this by holding official fan art and cosplay contests regularly.
As recently revealed by IGN, Genshin Impact is the most talked-about game on Twitter in 2022 so far. Wordle is the second most popular, and the Japanese mobile game Ensemble Stars took third place. In looking at the number two and three spots, it’s perhaps easy to see why Genshin Impact is #1 – it has the viral hit status of Wordle and the mobile-game accessibility of Ensemble Stars. All three games encourage daily log-ins, meaning they’re always near the forefront of players’ minds.
Genshin Impact Stays Popular Thanks To Constant Updates
Another factor that accounts for Genshin Impact‘s continuing popularity in 2022 is the regular updates the game receives. Version updates occur every six weeks and add in new characters, events, and story quests – and frequently new areas to explore as well. For example, the most recent Genshin Impact update added The Chasm, Kamisato Ayato as a playable character, new mechanics, weapons, Artifacts, and a whole lot more. Between these larger updates, there are also smaller ones that add content like events and World Quests.
It’s these nearly-constant additions that keep players coming back, but it’s also why so many people are talking about it on Twitter. There’s almost always something new to do, whether it’s exploring a new Domain or unlocking Teleport Waypoints in a new region. Content outside the main story – like the Serenitea Pot in Genshin Impact – also keep players actively engaging with the game, its creators, and other fans. Still, many other games have regular updates as well and don’t stay as popular as Genshin Impact, and there are a few other factors that attribute to its being the most discussed game on Twitter in 2022.
Fan Art & Cosplay Contests Boost Genshin Impact’s Popularity
Another major reason Genshin Impact stays popular is due to the way HoYoverse interacts with fans. Just as the game receives regular updates, the company holds regular contests for fan art and cosplay. Many games have fans who love to create art around their favorite characters and moments, but few games hold official contests every few weeks. Genshin Impact fan art contests represent a symbiotic relationship between HoYoverse and fans. Artists get to share their work to a wider audience via these contests, and HoYoverse gets a lot of free promotion for Genshin Impact as fans share their work.
The same is true for cosplayers and the many Genshin Impact cosplay contests that are held. Video game cosplays regularly go viral on social media, and it’s not uncommon to find Genshin Impact cosplay getting thousands – and even hundreds of thousands – of likes on Twitter. The company usually typically asks for special hashtags to be used as a requirement for entering cosplay and fan art contests, which again, helps increase the game’s visibility on sites like Twitter. The frequency of these contests also means that fans are often sharing their works online, thus boosting Genshin Impact even more.
Genshin Impact Is Easily Accessible & Free-To-Play
Genshin Impact is also free-to-play, which has certainly helped to broaden its appeal across the globe. There are no upfront costs or pay-to-win mechanics. Instead, the game makes its money from Wishes, which let players get new weapons and characters. However, the game offers plenty of Primogems through exploration, quest completion, and increasing Adventure Rank – so it’s fairly easy to keep Genshin Impact F2P and still have fun. While there are plenty of players who have bounced off the game, there are just as many (if not more) who have tried Genshin Impact because it’s free and stuck with it.
Accessibility is another reason Genshin Impact has remained popular in 2022. The RPG is currently available on Android, iOS, PC, PS4, and PS5. A Nintendo Switch version of Genshin Impact was announced but hasn’t gotten a development update in quite some time. Still, this means the game is widely available to the public. And because it has crossplay and cross-progression across most of its platforms, this means people can play it however and whenever they please. It’s much easier to play Genshin Impact than, for instance, some of the other popular games on Twitter for 2022 – like Elden Ring – because it’s free and available on a wide selection of platforms.
Genshin Impact Remains Popular Because Its Quality Remains High
Perhaps the biggest reason Genshin Impact is the most discussed game on Twitter in 2022 is that it’s good. That may sound like an oversimplification, but the game’s high quality is what made it so popular in the first place. A free and widely accessible game means nothing if it’s not good, and the frequent updates don’t forgo quality for quantity. The dedication to quality is evident not just in gameplay but also in how HoYovese listens to its fans. A recent example of this is the Yae Miko nerf, which caused quite a bit of backlash, but it was quickly changed. Thus far, HoYoverse has a great track record of listening to fans, whether it’s through adding Geo buffs or anniversary rewards needing to be better.
Ultimately, it’s all of these reasons that go into keeping Genshin Impact popular. Still, because the game is good and retains its high quality, it may be the biggest reason it’s maintained its place in the cultural zeitgeist nearly two years since launch. To someone on the outside, it may seem odd that Genshin Impact is the most popular game on Twitter for 2022 so far – but to most people who play it, it shouldn’t be surprising at all.
