Genshin Impact in 2025: Why the King of Open-World RPGs Still Reigns Supreme

In the history of modern interactive entertainment, few titles have achieved the gravitational pull of Genshin Impact. Launched in September 2020, it began as a vibrant, cel-shaded curiosity—a “Breath of the Wild” contender on mobile. Five years later, it stands as a colossal monument to live-service storytelling, a game that has grown alongside its player base through a global pandemic, platform revolutions, and the shifting tides of the gaming industry.

As we sit here in late 2025, with the snows of Snezhnaya finally crunching beneath our boots in the latest Version 6.0 expansion, it is the perfect time to look back at the path the Traveler has walked. Whether you are a veteran “Day 1” player or a newcomer curious about the hype, Teyvat offers a journey unlike any other.

Here is why Genshin Impact remains the undisputed king of the open-world action RPG genre.

A World Without Boundaries: The Seven Nations

The core promise of Genshin Impact was always “The Seven.” Seven elements, seven gods (Archons), and seven nations. For years, this was a roadmap. Today, it is nearly a completed map, a sprawling continent that offers hundreds of hours of exploration.

The Foundations: Mondstadt and Liyue (v1.0)

Your journey begins in Mondstadt, the City of Freedom. Modeled after medieval Europe, it is a land of rolling green hills, dandelions, and wind. It serves as the perfect tutorial, teaching players the logic of exploration: if you can see it, you can climb it.

South of the wind lies Liyue, the Nation of Contracts. Inspired by the limestone karsts and fantastical landscapes of China, Liyue introduced a sense of verticality and history that Mondstadt hinted at. Even five years later, the sight of Wangshu Inn perched atop a massive rock pillar remains one of gaming’s most iconic vistas.

The Escalation: Inazuma (v2.0)

In 2021, the game took a darker turn with Inazuma. Isolated across a stormy sea and ruled by the Raiden Shogun, the God of Eternity, this region introduced high-stakes political drama and a hostile environment. Lightning constantly struck the ground, and the puzzles became more cerebral. It was a wake-up call to players: Teyvat is not just a fairy tale; it is a world of conflict.

The Golden Age: Sumeru (v3.0)

The release of Sumeru in 2022 is often cited as the game’s “Golden Age” of lore. Divided between a lush, dense rainforest and a merciless, infinite desert, Sumeru introduced the Dendro (Nature) element, which completely revolutionized the combat meta. The narrative, centering on the God of Wisdom and the importance of dreams, delivered a philosophical depth that rivals serious literature.

The Industrial Revolution: Fontaine (v4.0)

By 2023, the game evolved again with Fontaine, the Nation of Justice. Combining Victorian elegance with Steampunk machinery, Fontaine introduced fully 3D underwater exploration. Unlike other games where water levels are dreaded, Genshin made swimming graceful and combat-free, focusing on puzzles and fluidity. The storyline of Furina, the Hydro Archon, remains perhaps the most tragic and beautifully executed character arc in the game’s history.

The Flames of War: Natlan (v5.0)

Last year (2024) brought us Natlan, the Nation of War. HoYoverse shattered their own movement rules here. By transforming into “Saurians” (elemental dragons), players could surf across liquid lava, grapple through the air like a superhero, and drill underground. The narrative shifted to a tournament-style arc, focusing on the “Nightsoul” mechanic and the relentless fight against the Abyss. It was high-octane, colorful, and aggressive—a perfect prelude to the end.

The End of the Line: Snezhnaya (v6.0 - Present)

And now, we have arrived. Released just months ago in September 2025, Snezhnaya is the domain of the Cryo Archon, the Tsaritsa, and the headquarters of the Fatui.

The atmosphere here is oppressive yet majestic. Massive brutalist architecture blends with Tsarist opulence. Perpetual blizzards force players to seek warmth sources, echoing the “Sheer Cold” mechanics of Dragonspine but on a massive, industrial scale. The story is currently unraveling the mystery of why the Tsaritsa has been collecting the “Gnoses” (divine chess pieces) from the other gods. We are no longer just exploring; we are preparing for a war against the heavens.

The Combat: A Symphony of Elements

New players often mistake Genshin Impact for a simple button-masher. In reality, it is a chemistry engine disguised as an RPG.

The combat revolves around the Elemental Reaction System. You control a party of four characters, switching between them instantly.

• Melt: Hit Cryo with Pyro for double damage.
• Hyperbloom: Mix Hydro and Dendro to create seeds, then hit them with Electro to turn them into homing missiles.
• Swirl: Use Anemo (Wind) to spread other elements across the battlefield.

With the introduction of Nightsoul mechanics in Natlan and the new Delusion-based kits appearing in the Snezhnaya patch, the combat has never been more complex. The skill ceiling is incredibly high; a well-built team can clear a room of enemies in seconds with a kaleidoscope of numbers, while a poorly synergized team will struggle against common hilichurls.

The “Live Service” Standard

What truly separates Genshin Impact from its competitors is its update cadence. For over five years, HoYoverse has maintained a strict 6-week update cycle. Every six weeks, without fail, there is new content.

• Flagship Events: One month you might be managing a potion shop, the next you are playing a rhythm game, and the next you are battling in a frantic tower defense mode.
• The TCG: “Genius Invokation” is a fully fleshed-out card game inside Genshin Impact that has its own competitive scene.
• Imaginarium Theater: Added in the mid-4.x era, this endgame mode forces players to use a wide variety of characters, rewarding those who have built deep rosters rather than just one powerful team.

This consistency means the game never feels “dead.” There is always a new banner, a new event, or a new map expansion on the horizon.

The Visuals and Audio: An Artistic Triumph

In 2025, Genshin Impact still looks stunning. The art direction—saturated colors, distinct cultural architecture, and anime-styled character designs—has aged gracefully. The technical team has continually upgraded the engine, adding Global Illumination, higher texture resolutions, and volumetric fog that makes the swamps of Sumeru and the snowstorms of Snezhnaya feel visceral.

However, the music is the true soul of Teyvat. Produced by HOYO-MiX, the soundtrack is a masterpiece of modern orchestration.

• In Liyue, the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra brings the erhu and guzheng to life.
• In Fontaine, waltzes and operatic vocals dominate.
• In Natlan, heavy percussion and tribal chants drive the adrenaline.
• Now in Snezhnaya, deep choral arrangements and melancholic strings reflect the sorrow of a goddess who hardened her heart to save the world.

The Gacha: The Elephant in the Room

It is impossible to review Genshin without addressing the Gacha system. Yes, you obtain characters by spending currency (Primogems) on randomized banners.

However, the game is remarkably generous to free-to-play (F2P) users. No content is gated behind a paywall. The entire map, all story quests, and all music are free. The “pity system” guarantees that you will eventually get the 5-star character you want if you save enough.

By 2025, the roster is massive. While “power creep” (new characters being stronger than old ones) exists, characters from Version 1.0 like Bennett, Xiangling, and Xingqiu remain top-tier meta staples. The game respects your investment; a character you built in 2020 is likely still viable today.

Why Play Now?

You might think, “Is it too late to start? I’m five years behind.”

The answer is no. Genshin Impact is not a race. It is a single-player journey that you can take at your own pace.

• Quality of Life: In recent years, HoYoverse has streamlined the new player experience. You can now “Quick Start” newer weekly bosses and skip certain prerequisite quests to play events with your friends.
• The Content Vault: You have five years of completed content waiting for you. That is hundreds of hours of fully voiced story, thousands of puzzles, and a world map that rivals the size of some real-world countries.
• The Climax: We are approaching the end of the “Teyvat Chapter.” The story is heating up with the reveal of the Fatui’s ultimate goal and the looming threat of Celestia. There has never been a more exciting time to be part of the community theory-crafting.

Conclusion

Genshin Impact is more than a game; it is a digital habitation. It is a place where you watch the sunset over Liyue Harbor, dive into the Great Fontaine Lake, surf the lava of Natlan, and brave the cold of Snezhnaya.

It is a game about the journey, about the friends we meet, and the stars we chase. The world of Teyvat is vast, beautiful, and terrifying. And the best part? The map is finally (almost) complete.

Traveler, your sibling is waiting. The stars are calling. Welcome to Teyvat.