This post is really just for me as I just want to share my thoughts about the state of Genshin Impact so that maybe people can add onto the list of things Genshin has just slowly went downhill in (though, hoyolab really isn't the place for this, as I can guarantee I'm just gonna get a buncha comments saying stuff like "you just hate natlan" or "you're just mad dottores dead!" Or some other stupid thought terminating cliches and what not).
Genshin, since Natlan released, has been littered with retcons, noticeable change in how they design female characters, a large increase in greed and lack of rewards, etc.
In 6.6, there's 2 new 5* characters, and 2 new 5* weapons plus 2 other rerunning 5*'s and their weapons, plus a new 4 star. And yet, you can only get 64 pulls this patch (not even enough to hit soft pity), and that's if you log in every day and completel the highest level of endgame content. This isn't a matter of saving because literally every patch in nod-krai other than 2 of them have given like 60-70ish pulls. That's 3 whole patches of saving just to guarantee one 5* limited character (not weapon) if you lose 50/50 and run to 90 pity. There are only 9 patches per region.
Since Natlan, the designs of female characters has gotten noticeabley more "fanservicey"/revealing. Mavuika, Citlali, Escoffier, Xilonen, Chasca, Mualani, Mizuki, Lauma, Nefer, Jahoda, and now Sandrone, who they've given a shorter skirt for absolutely no good reason. They're designs noticeably show a lot of skin or, in Mavuika's case, have outfit details that really don't make any sense, like her zipper that goes all the way around her outfit.
The main thing I wanted to talk about in this post, the story. The story has gotten noticeabley worse and is filled with retcons. The pacing of 6.6 was bad, and burning the Irminsul didn't do a thing. There were 0 actual consequences. Mind you this was a plot we've been waiting for for like 3 years. You'd expect there to be at least ONE consequence for burning the Irminsul, like everyone remembering all the altered knowledge such as the balladeer and stuff, but no. Nothing. And Pulcinella's letter. I really hoped they wouldn't take this path, but it seems like they're canonizing a retcon.
The initial Sumeru teaser
Info that's been in the game since dragonspine.
The retcon
Also, I haven't a clue why Arlecchino was talking about loyalty to the Tsaritsa and following her orders when-
Also, this
Unfortunately, any time you say "Columbina was rewritten" people think youre just mad she's not the "fanon creepy character that people made up in their heads."
Also, let's talk about Sandrone.
https://www.tiktok.com/@chezthoughts/photo/7596715366047370516
Going back to Genshin's greediness, miliastra wonderland. Last time I checked, there's still no way to get pulls for the limited banner. I don't really care about that though. What irks me is that you have to pay to get different eye colors, different eyebrows, different eye shapes, etc. Paying for makeup like eyeshadow or lipstick? Sure. But everything else I just listed? That's just plain stupid.
Also, I just wanna talk about the initial Snezhnya preview Livestream. Specifically that beyond stupid "we don't want to chase hyper realistic graphics" line. They said this like 5 seconds after they said they were going to majorly improve their graphics (which, based off the Snezhnya preview at the end of the 6.6 livestream, was actually just a lie because Traveler and the newly teased character look exactly the same as Nod Krai characters). They only said that stupid "hyper realistic" line to cause drama. It is genuinely such a "I like pancakes" "so you hate waffles" thing to say. Literally nobody is saying "become Arknights Endfield/WuWa 2.0!" They're saying improve your graphics beyond "better shading and more detailed hair after 5 whole years!" If you compared Mona's normal attacks to Columbina's normal attacks I genuinely would think that Mona was released recently and not 5-6 years ago.
You want a good example of how Genshin can improve their graphics without "losing their style?" Look at NTE. The textured clothing, the hair shading, the hair modeling, etc. If you told me that Mint was a character Genshin was planning to release in Snezhnya (cause the "were gonna improve graphics" line in the live stream) and that she was from Mondstadt, Natlan, or Liyue, I'd believe you.
And you wanna hear my take on the whole stupid "wuwa and genshin have different styles" excuse? Compare phrolova's old model to her new one. Her old model vs genshin models is a difference in style, her new model is a difference in quality.
Going back to the 6.6 story, why do we seemingly have no qualms about teaming up with that jinni bottle from Jeht's quest?
And this final part is all speculation
There are 4 other things I could add (not including the point I marked off for containing sandrone leaks), three of which are more sandrone leaks, and the last being that the pacing of 6.6 was bad, which could be easily explained if the quest was rewritten.
This is probably gonna be my last major post about genshin for a while (if not forever) because 6.6 was kinda the nail in the coffin for me, and I've pretty much semi quit, with the only reason I still have the game is because I want to pull for sandrone (and with genshin being as stingy as it is with wishes, I have to still continue to log in daily to get primos) and once I get her I'm probably gonna delete genshin for good.
