Since genshin is hosting the share your co-op experiences event, I thought id make a post showcasing the problems the system is facing and what I believe mihoyo should do to fix it. I hate seeing the multiplayer mode of the game lacking so much.
To start with, it is important to mention that the co-op part of the game has barely received any updates, additions or impovements outside of bug fixes and some small qol since its initial release. There is barely any difficult content to do co-op, the current matching system can be abused by many trolls, and co-op system doesnt really feel co-op, it feels like you are playing solo just smashing buttons. People barely chat when matching in domains, it would be the same if the game just gave me 3 npcs to fight alongside.
Fix the co-op system, add communication tools like pings(for example, pressing keyboard button automatically sends "I need healing" in the chat) and introduce hard co-op content, such as raids, that require communication on team building, coordination etc. The current system is lacking a lot and it is so obvious, even when playing with a friend, after 10 minutes when all the rensin is spent, you are forced to go single player if you want to actually progress and enjoy the game.
The matching system needs major changes, use a similar matching system that is being used for co-op events and tcg, spawn us inside the domain instantly with no one being the host, and have a start timer and the ability for the users to declare that they are ready.
As a qol feature, if a chest is not collected, and you are on a different world, and the host collects that chest, you both get the rewards, and the chest is removed from your world.
Furthermore, some characters dont work (furina doesnt buff other people sometimes), insane wait times for domains due to players leaving with uneven rensin(sometimes the host has uneven rensin and just disbands the world), people starting the domain when someone hasnt loaded, if someone stays inside a domain in your world you cant kick him out of your world or go back to single player (i think going to teapot works but not sure). You cant explore with a friend and BOTH get the rewards (I would make it so if a chest is not on one's world and the host collects the chest then both players collect the rewards). People cant interact with npcs (katheryne), statues or puzzles (elemental statues) at all in co-op. Some people decide to troll others using the domain matching feature and just not starting the domain.
Furthermore, there is no hard content to do in co-op, the combat system genshin has is amazing and I would love to be able to experience it with friends, however, we mess up pretty badly and still oneshot the enemy. Abyss floor 12, the only medium difficulty content is locked behind single player.
There are also many things inconsistent which isnt limited to just furina not buffing co-op players. For example, in a quest, sometimes all the people get the cutscene, sometimes just the host, and finally many characters such us zhongli, do not work in co-op on purpose (not like furina, furina has to be a bug).
Conclusion
The co-op system within genshin was a great idea that got implemented poorly, it needs to receive significant updates and bug fixes. Incosistencies like furina not buffing other characters and additions that allow progression of both players if you are exploring a world with a friend are required.
Currently the co-op system is only useful for collecting flowers or mob drops, and while this is a good part of the game and I have met tons of friendly players using it, it has a lot of room for improvement.
Matching in domains has to use a similar system to events in order to avoid trolls that simply refuse to start the domain.
Cover art source: here
