1. Introduction

Genshin Impact has garnered substantial acclaim from players due to its unparalleled quality, thus becoming adored by a multitude of global game players. However, within the dynamic landscape of the gaming industry, no game can indefinitely reign supreme, as it must grapple with various challenges, including diminishing player loyalty and fierce competition from external rivals. Numerous companies have unsuccessfully attempted to replicate the success achieved by Genshin Impact. Active users are the greatest vitality of the game. Compared with regular players, anime players have their preferences. From the events in recent years, its officials hardly listen to the feedback of players, which is a huge hazard to the game's life cycle and market potential. This article will discuss the performance and outlet of miHoYo through the development potential of the anime mobile game market and the main needs of the anime audience.

Although Genshin Impact has made remarkable achievements in market performance, it is still a new game compared with the famous games of other big companies. Therefore, in the past two years, the number of existing literature studies was relatively small. More from the perspective of cultural symbols, it did not consider that if Genshin Impact can continue to make profits and progress in the future. The research on the user portraits of Genshin Impact and the miHoYo company behind it is relatively simple and sketchy,

First of all, it is very important to clarify the game positioning and core competitiveness of Genshin Impact. From the perspective of Yan and Yu's analysis of the case of this game going to sea. In terms of IP construction, the game's positioning is very clear, which is open world and role-playing. In terms of IP operation, the distribution channels of miHoYo are suitable, aggregating economic benefits, precision cross-border linkage, and promoting the increase of topic popularity. In addition, a large part of Genshin Impact's income comes from overseas, because it has excellent localization of overseas translation, improving its promotion [1].

Secondly, Xie analyzed the important characteristics of the anime game. First, he pays attention to the shaping of characters, so that players can have a more immersive emotional experience. Second, compared with other types of games, anime games pay more attention to artistic expression, screen fineness, UI layout, etc. The third is to rely on the passion of players to achieve revenue, and players often voluntarily pay out of their love for game characters. Mastering these characteristics is the key to winning on this track [2]. At the same time, Zhang analyzed the dissemination methods of the mobile game "Onmyoji".The excellent game music, exquisite game graphics, and distinctive game characters of this game attracted players, creating a deep immersive environment for them. Let Yin and Yang teachers occupy the leading position when the anime game rises [3]. Li also took the Onmyoji division as an example to introduce the group identity of the players of the anime mobile game. The players of this game are usually of the same age, and their communication and interaction are characterized by fragmentation, immersion, and prominent subculture style. Established a relatively solid trust and barrier with other groups [4]. Ou and others pointed out that the game "Arknights" utilizes high-quality products, sets up consumption mechanisms, and creates buzz to achieve game marketing. While achieving success, there are also issues such as untimely handling of player opinions and weak follow-up promotion efforts, which have led to a decline in the performance of Arknights in the later stage [5]. Wang compared Genshin Impact and the anime mobile game "Pretty Derby", which is the most popular mobile game in Japan in these years and mainly analyzed the differences between the two sides in market operation modes. It is worth noting that Genshin Impact has chosen to improve the quality of the game in the face of plagiarism, while Pretty Derby has chosen to fully respect the prototype of the game in the face of public opinion, and has provided users with a better emotional value experience [6].

About the market potential of anime games, the main revenue of such games comes from in-game purchases. Huang mentioned that players pay for anime games, mainly because of the role construction in the game and the emotional recognition it generates, and the amount of payment is proportional to the length of the game and the life cycle of the game [7]. Zen and Tao studied that the main reasons for game players to pay are experience, social interaction, emotions, and competition. Game platforms establish in-game purchasing mechanisms to influence players. At the same time, players also provide feedback from the opposite direction to the platform, correcting the payment mechanism, which is the result of good interaction between both parties [8]. Based on previous studies, He further refined the consumption motivation and enthusiasm of the anime game analysis and added the impact of the time and energy level players put into the game on game consumption. Prove that in the game mechanics, luring free players to put in more labor for the game can bring players further investment in the game [9]. Wang took Genshin Impact as an example to study the group identity of anime game players. Genshin Impact has brought fun and a sense of belonging to the majority of players, and has built an online game community and held offline activities regularly. Compared with other types of game players. Genshin Impact's core players pay more attention to story communication and discussion of game characters when socializing, rather than social interaction with players [10]. Chen et al. built a model to evaluate the value of the IP Genshin Impact. Research shows that if Genshin Impact can maintain its current development momentum, its revenue will be very considerable [11].

This article aims to expand new research directions based on previous research. Studying the success factors of Genshin Impact and the potential problems of Genshin Impact in the future of user stickiness and profitability.

2. Industry situation

On February 6th, Sensor Tower released the "2024 Global Mobile Gaming Market Outlook". After experiencing a pullback in 2022, the global mobile game market has stabilized in 2023, with revenue reaching $76.7 billion, still 22% higher than before the pandemic. It is expected that global mobile game revenue will rebound in 2024, and it is expected that revenue will exceed 100 billion US dollars in 2028.

The 2023 China Game Industry Report shows that in 2023, the actual sales revenue of the Chinese game market was 302.964 billion yuan, an increase of 37.08 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 13.95%. In 2023, the actual sales of the anime mobile game market will increase by 31.01% year on year, and the overall competition will be quite fierce. However, the number of new anime games that have gained market recognition is rare, especially the number of popular ones, and the track giant effect is obvious. China's Internet industry has moved from the incremental market to the stock market, so the competition in the game industry will be more intense.

1) Normalization of game license plate issuance, improvement of industry prosperity, and continuous improvement of the supply side in 2024.

2) The gaming industry is showing a clear trend of recovery, with mobile and PC games being more prominent.

3) Most of the company's new game layout focuses on advantageous categories.

4) High-quality innovative games will continue to gain market share, and market concentration may further increase.

5) Open-world integration is still a trend, expanding from RPG to shooting/racing outfits, enhancing user interaction, and extending the game life cycle.

3. The Success of Genshin Impact

The success of miHoYo embodies a blend of fortuity and inevitability. On one hand, the augmentation of its fortunes can be attributed to favorable factors in the external environment. Notably, the re-calibration of national policies has furnished extensive breathing space for the company's advancement, while advancements in technological prowess have laid a sturdy groundwork for its growth trajectory. Furthermore, the burgeoning presence of subculture factions has bestowed upon miHoYo a strong user foundation, with an additional influx of individuals compelled to alter their modes of entertainment as a result of the pandemic's aftermath.

3.1. Excellent Game Production Technology Level

The success of Genshin Impact depends more on the inevitability of its accumulation and sincerity. Firstly, starting from the level of production of the game itself. MiHoYo has a technical team of thousands of people, who have developed a large number of mobile game technologies after years of development. They have accumulated a series of core technologies such as "PostFX", "AnimeFX", "3D animation layered coloring technology", and "s-expr based data-driven logic technology", allowing MiHoYo products to match their expected effects in terms of image rendering, data processing speed, and system architecture design. So far, MiHoYo has more than 200 patent information related to animation generation methods and image fusion processing methods. Genshin Impact also has excellent quality in art, has a world-leading art system (modeling and rendering technology), and can produce high-standard game pictures to meet the various aesthetic needs of players. Genshin Impact is the boldest investment of Mihayou. The annual R&D minimum cost is 200 million yuan. In 2023, the R&D cost of Genshin Impact will exceed 1.1 billion yuan, making it the game with the highest R&D cost in China's game history. With its excellent strength, Genshin Impact has broken the original market pattern, increased the demand of players for games, and become a benchmark for domestic games to go abroad.

3.2. Complete IP Construction and Operation

miHoYo has effectively executed the publicity and operation of the Genshin Impact intellectual property. What is noteworthy is that, in contrast to other games, Genshin Impact itself did not heavily invest in advertising efforts, but rather relied on its exceptional quality to shape public opinion and ignite extensive dialogue. Since the public beta, Genshin Impact has participated in overseas well-known game fairs including TGS, G-Star, GC, and E3, and opened trial games. Famiton, IGN, and other well-known game media have given them high marks. The game's frequent presence at these expos and endorsement by reputable evaluation institutions have further fueled players' anticipation and increased the game's topicality.

In terms of IP content operation, the research and development group of Genshin Impact is committed to constantly polishing the game content, breaking through the shackles of traditional ACG theme mobile games, and making efforts to study new ways of playing in the open world, which also allows Genshin Impact to constantly expand new content based on nearly not splitting the overall experience of the game. In addition, in terms of IP development, Genshin Impact released serial cartoons, R&D documentaries, and original music albums, and held online concerts. Through the derivative chain, further expand the influence of IP.

3.3. Meet the Complex Needs of Players

Furthermore, the exceptional triumph of Genshin Impact can be attributed to its astute comprehension of the intricate demands set forth by a diverse player base. This exceptional prowess originates from the core mission of the innovative team: to save the world with technology. The main creators have deep feelings for games, especially anime games, and are dedicated to the creation and research of such players. First of all: Genshin Impact players generally have high requirements for the game plot and character shaping, and the reason why players pay is basically to draw favorite characters and make them more powerful. Based on this, Genshin Impact carefully polished the script. In addition to the main line task, the regional task also has limited activities for each version. I have also invested a lot of energy into character design, making the characters more lively and interactive with players. Secondly, most of the Genshin Impact players are not experienced hardcore players, so Genshin Impact has abandoned the PVP mode used in traditional games, giving players more freedom and immersion, while taking care of players who want to experience the game more easily. Social interaction is an option rather than a necessity. Then, Genshin Impact provided a wealth of probability-based rewards. Players obtained rewards by opening treasure boxes and drawing cards. The rewards were unpredictable, and sometimes there was an unexpected probability of winning. This significantly enhances the likelihood of players developing addiction and making payments. Furthermore, Genshin Impact pays attention to catering to players of diverse genders. In contrast to the majority of anime games, Genshin Impact maintains a relatively equitable ratio of male and female players.

In summary, miHoYo's success primarily stems from its robust technological prowess, commendable IP development and management, and adeptness at discerning players' demands. With the corporate vision of "creating a virtual realm that a billion individuals worldwide aspire to inhabit by 2030", miHoYo possesses the capacity to guide Genshin Impact toward even greater triumph.

4. Risks and Recommendations

The success of Genshin Impact is well known. Today, the anime mobile game industry has become a red sea of fierce competition, and various manufacturers have tried to launch their own new games one after another. Although Genshin Impact has been continuously updated and further improved, now more and more new content has made new players have a higher threshold to enter. Old players feel tired and their enthusiasm has declined. The decline of Genshin Impact's user stickiness is an inevitable trend. According to the data results published by the website Active Player, from July 2023, excluding public holidays, the number of monthly active players of Genshin Impact has dropped by more than 1 million for several consecutive months, reaching 3.6 million players lost every month at the most. Genshin Impact should pay attention to the following threats in terms of the game itself, player feedback, and IP layout.

4.1. The Plot and Character Design of the Game

The attention caused by Genshin Impact is global, so the domestic cultural environment will restrict it more severely. On the whole, every reform and innovation of Genshin Impact is relatively conservative. No matter the plot or character design, Genshin Impact cannot create more in-depth content. In terms of plot: the main plot of Genshin Impact is updated slowly, and most of the game plot will not change according to the choice of the protagonist. This is a stranglehold on playability and freedom, and also a suppression of the enthusiasm of players. As a role-playing game that pays attention to the main story, Genshin Impact can appropriately draw on the story of Final Fantasy and Baldur's Gate 3 to arrange and build the ending of the game, to give players a better sense of experience and immersion. In terms of character design, in order to make profits, the mechanism design of new characters is often better than that of old characters, and there is a trend of numerical inflation in combat. The losing value of characters drawn in the past has become a criticism among many players, and at the same time, new characters that don't have strong combat abilities will also be criticized. Unreasonable character designs in Genshin Impact often result from inadequate coordination within the project team. Furthermore, the information players receive about characters is often leaked before version updates, which can significantly alter their initial perception and heavily impact their decisions in later stages of the game. Given that characters are the main incentive for players to invest, game designers must prioritize their development. They should strive to maintain a balanced combat power for each character, enhance the rationale behind their combat mechanisms, and foster greater collaboration and communication among departments. Additionally, efforts should be made to minimize information leakage.

4.2. Communication and Feedback From Players

Throughout the three years of Genshin Impact's development, players' feedback is often ignored. During the 2023 Spring Festival, Genshin Impact provided few benefits to players, and the appearance design of some characters was complained by players, which even led to many players' uninstalling games. Compared with other game manufacturers, Mihoyo, especially the Genshin Impact project team, did not respond well to user feedback, and mostly chose cold treatment in the face of public opinion. Undoubtedly, due to its game positioning and various limitations, it is increasingly difficult to meet the various needs of complex player groups. miHoYo’s CEO Cai Hengyu once said that the biggest concern is "not knowing what users want and not being able to create things that users like.". He also said, "Users only know clearly what they don't like, but very few users know what they want.". Hence, Genshin Impact ought to persist in gathering questionnaire feedback within the game and proficiently categorize diverse feedback opinions based on game duration, payment status, and activity level, thereby satisfying the requirements that do not impinge upon the fundamental interests of game developers. Illustratively, enhancing novice guidance, incorporating shortcut keys, and rectifying the flawed elements of character design during the initial phase. By consistently enhancing the user experience with a genuine approach and a willingness to experiment and rectify errors, while also fostering deeper player engagement to acquire the most genuine feedback.

4.3. The Hidden Dangers of Game Industrialization

In 2019, miHoYo proposed the concept of industrialization of game products, with the ultimate goal of stable production of large quantities and high-quality game products. However, from the experiment of Collapse III, to the promotion of Genshin Impact, and finally to the prosperity of iron collapse today, it proves that the production efficiency of miHoYo products has entered a relatively mature stage. However, the end of industrialization lies in the assembly line, as evidenced by Ubisoft, which is also a gaming industry factory. Ubisoft has developed and operated over ten projects simultaneously, ensuring the production of one to two open-world games per year. However, homogenization is severe, and most players believe that Ubisoft has lost its adventurous and creative soul. The loss of players has led to a significant drop in Ubisoft's sales. As an anime game, Genshin Impact should pay more attention to the emotional resonance and connection between the game and players. In the process of seeking transformation, in the process of running with a large and complex group of players, pains, choices, compromises, changes, trial and error, run through the growth and industrialization process of Genshin Impact. From the heroic spirit of investing thousands of dollars when setting up a project, to careful exploration during development, in the era of capital holding the right to speak, holding the original heart may be the final way out for Genshin Impact, even for miHoYo.

5. Conclusion

This paper analyzed the success of the game Genshin Impact of miHoYo, which is not only due to its excellent quality and access to online and offline multi-channel marketing but also because it has grasped the core needs of major game player groups. That is the emotional sustenance of the anime players to the game characters. And it is addictive in terms of game mechanics, which encourages players to invest a lot of energy and money. However, Genshin Impact also has many hidden worries in the process of pursuing industrialization. Besides, miHoYo should make use of the existing achievements of Genshin Impact to further expand the influence of IP. Continuously improving game quality, deepening plot planning, and emphasizing character design and balance. Be good at listening to feedback from game players and actively making decisions. Balancing efficiency and quality, while ensuring output, polish each work with craftsmanship.