That night, countless players felt the unique charm of the continent of Teyvat.
A seamless open world, puzzle-solving exploration, surprise treasure chests popping up here and there, the variety of elemental reactions…
And of course, the beautiful music, as well as the diverse cast of characters with unique personalities and skills, were also a big part of the attraction.
For the gamers of this world, it was their very first time encountering a game of this kind.
Even the scenery alone was enough to make people linger endlessly.
It could be said that apart from PVP, Genshin Impact's gameplay practically satisfied most players.
Online reviews of Genshin Impact were overwhelmingly positive.
[Honestly, this game is insanely good, in every sense of the word]
[I used to look down on mobile games. In my impression, their scale was just too small. But Honkai Impact 3rd changed that bias, and now Genshin has completely shattered my understanding of what a mobile game could be…]
[People are even comparing Genshin to PC MMOs, and some are even comparing it to top-tier single-player titles. I don't get it, but I think that's exactly what makes Genshin so powerful—because no other mobile game can even come close…]
[This is insane. The game's free to play, and the monetization is still just gacha…]
[Sure, Honkai 3rd being free was already something, but Genshin being this massive and still free… as a freeloader, I just want to bow to Mihoyo hahaha…]
[Freeloader? You clearly never played Honkai 3rd. Once the new character cards come out, you'll know the pain in your wallet]
[True. It's free, but the gacha hurts. Still, Mihoyo never forces you to spend. Their strategy is… temptation. They make you want to spend. Ugh my poor wallet…]
[Never played Honkai 3rd, but if Mihoyo dares to make it free, I'll dare to stay free all the way~]
[Remember you said that, buddy]
[No one's talking about Liyue? I'm obsessed with this region. When are they releasing more Liyue characters?]
[Instant pull, no questions asked!]
…
Players everywhere were sighing in admiration, eagerly awaiting the release of more Liyue characters.
At the same time, countless game developers were also deeply captivated by Teyvat's innovative gameplay.
Mihoyo, a game studio that had only risen to prominence in the past six months, had brought them both immense pressure and inspiration.
So, when Genshin Impact launched, those developers downloaded it with the mindset of studying and learning.
With both Honkai Impact 3rd and Genshin Impact 417 standing tall, they could no longer rely on cheap gimmicks to "harvest leeks."
A simple comparison was all it took for players to see whether a game was slapdash or truly crafted with care.
Other games were filled with pay-to-win props on top of subscription fees.
The subscription model alone scared off a huge group of freeloaders.
And most dungeons or PVP modes were essentially exclusive to whales.
If you didn't spend money, you had no qualifications to really play.
Not that you couldn't enter—but without paying, your power level would be too low. You'd either get chopped down like cannon fodder by whales or get rejected by every party you tried to join.
But Mihoyo's games required no subscription, no forced spending. With just the free starter characters, you could experience all the game's content.
As long as you built them correctly, you could claim all event rewards, all weekly rewards—everything.
No difference from the whales.
The only difference was that whales were stronger, and cleared dungeons faster.
So, Mihoyo had no intention of forcing you to spend.
Instead, they relied on excellent storylines and characters with irresistible charm to make you fall in love with a particular character—and then, willingly spend money for them.
In this world, such a game was truly a breath of fresh air.
That was also why Mihoyo's player base praised them so fervently.
Naturally, it left other studios under immense pressure.
That day was practically a dark hour for them…
In just one night, Genshin had gone viral, dominating Weibo's trending searches.
#GenshinLiyue#
#QingceVillage#
#MtQingyun#
#LiyueHarbor#
…
Nearly every trending tag was related to Genshin Impact.
And not just in China—overseas was just as lively.
On overseas TikTok and YouTube, Genshin guide creators began popping up one after another.
And without exception, each of them gained massive traffic in just a few days.
Even a simple video showing the location of a hidden chest could rake in tons of likes.
And under those videos, the comments were all basically:
"Mihoyo you sly dog…"
People complained, but this treasure-hunting joy was exactly what first hooked players.
Mihoyo Studio.
Bronya was reporting Genshin's recent revenue numbers to Mo Li.
The results surprised him.
Overseas revenue was several times higher than domestic revenue.
Japan in particular was astounding.
The very day the Venti banner launched, Genshin's daily revenue surpassed every other Japanese game, shooting straight to #1.
Mo Li was a bit surprised, but quickly calmed down.
This wasn't Earth, after all.
The gaming industry in this world lagged too far behind.
"Hm. Got it. Next, everyone should take a break for a while."
Just as he said that, something occurred to him:
"Oh right, Bronya—didn't the new version of Girls Odyssey just release? How's it doing?"
Bronya's lips curved into a faint smile.
"Very optimistic. It can't compare to Genshin, of course, but it's already profitable."
Rita's eyes curved charmingly as she chuckled:
"All thanks to the boss's ideas. Everyone's very happy—and very grateful to you, boss~"
Mo Li raised a brow.
"Oh? And how are you planning to thank me?"
Rita blinked her bright eyes, feigning curiosity.
"Mm~? What kind of reward is Boss Mo Li looking for?"
Mo Li rubbed his chin, giving both Bronya and Rita a once-over.
Bronya stayed silent, simply staring at him.
Rita, on the other hand, looked back with a faintly teasing smile.
After a moment, Bronya's face flushed slightly. She coughed lightly:
"Ahem… Boss, you'd better not be having any improper thoughts."
Mo Li only chuckled softly.
A shy "Big Duck" was rather cute, actually.
He turned, picked up two bags, and handed them to Bronya and Rita.
"These are outfits custom-made for you by Qiancheng Fashion."
"If you really want to thank me, then put them on and let me take a few photos~"
Bronya narrowed her eyes.
"Boss, are you looking for a beating?"
Mo Li: "…"
"Why don't you take a look first?"
Rita covered her lips with a laugh.
"Oh? Don't tell me they're some kind of weird outfits?"
Mo Li: "…"
As if he'd dare! Even if they were close, if he gave them that kind of outfit, they'd definitely think he was a pervert.
"They're the costumes of your in-game characters. In other words—cosplay."
At that, both Rita and Bronya finally realized.
A while back, Mo Li had indeed struck a deal with Qiancheng Fashion.
Curious, the two pulled out the clothes—only to find these designs didn't even exist in the game yet.
"Huh… never seen these before."
Mo Li explained:
"These are new armors that'll appear in future versions. Rita's is called Stygian Nymph, and Bronya's is Herrscher of Reason's Silverwing: N-EX."
The two admired the outfits.
Bronya held up the silvery dress-like armor and asked curiously:
"This was designed based on my current appearance?"
Mo Li nodded.
"Well? Pretty, right?"
Bronya's cheeks reddened as she nodded lightly.
She had never worn something this elegant before.
Even though the outfit had been adjusted by the system and wasn't revealing, just the thought that Mo Li wanted to see her wear it made her feel shy.
Rita, however, was different. After appreciating her own gorgeous outfit, she laughed softly:
"If it's a reward Boss wants, Rita doesn't mind putting it on~"
"Just one thing—the photos can't be shown to anyone else~"
Mo Li blinked, then nodded.
"Alright. If that's the case… fair enough."
Even if they weren't revealing, if the girls didn't want others to see, he'd just keep the photos for himself.
It seemed he'd have to rely on Ningguang to find other models for promotional work.
"So, Boss—do you want to see it now?" Rita twirled a lock of hair around her finger, her tone laced with teasing.
"Or… tonight instead~?"
Mo Li didn't back down.
"If you dare come tonight, I naturally won't stop you~"
With that, he carried the rest of the outfits toward the workspace.
Rita chuckled, then left the office as well.
She actually liked the outfit quite a bit—and was eager to try it on.
Bronya hesitated a while, but also felt tempted.
After all, the silver gown-like armor was too beautiful. And if she only wore it around the studio, it wouldn't be a big deal.
"That guy… what on earth is going on in his head…"
Grumbling, she quickly ran off to catch up with Rita.
Meanwhile, Mo Li carried the pile of outfits to the workspace.
"Ladies, gather around~"
At his call, the girls noticed the bags he was holding and crowded over curiously.
"Boss, what's this about?"
"These are the outfits from our collaboration with Qiancheng Fashion," Mo Li explained as he distributed them.
"They're the costumes your characters wear in-game."
The girls were surprised and delighted.
Fu Hua, Ganyu, Yae Miko, and Kamisato Ayaka all received their own unique outfits.
Only Durandal and Himeko did not—which made them a little disappointed.
Everyone else had something prepared, but not them… it was hard not to feel left out.
Before they could get too down, Mo Li quickly explained:
"Durandal's and Himeko's S-rank armors are harder to make, so they aren't ready yet. It'll take some more time."
Hearing that, the two girls relaxed and felt much better.
Just then, Rita and Bronya entered, already dressed in their new outfits.
The others immediately swarmed around.
"Wow~ Bronya and Rita's costumes are gorgeous!"
"Never seen these before—new armors?"
"They look like evening gowns~"
"Why don't we all put on our armors and take a group photo~?"
At Himeko's suggestion, the girls' eyes lit up, and they all turned toward Mo Li.
He had just been sipping his coffee, listening to their chatter. Suddenly feeling the weight of so many stares from so many beautiful girls, he grew a little flustered.
"Boss, when will Himeko's and Durandal's outfits be ready?"
Mo Li thought for a moment.
"Should be more than half a month. When Ningguang delivered these, she said the materials were set—they're working on the designs now."
The girls all grew more excited.
Then Himeko smirked, as if an idea struck her.
"What about Mo Li's outfit?"
"…Mine?"
Rita smiled elegantly.
"Of course. Since it's a studio group photo, our dear Overseer can't be left out~"
Mo Li considered it, and found the idea amusing.
"Sure. When Ningguang finishes everyone's costumes, we'll take a group shot together. Could be a nice keepsake."
They could even invite Eden and Elysia to join.
After that, the girls all went off to try on their costumes.
Which inevitably left Himeko and Durandal feeling a bit envious.
Especially Himeko—her character's outfits were all armored types, none of the elegant gown-like ones the others had.
Not long after, Hu Tao and Kiana showed up.
When Hu Tao saw her Hall Master outfit, she literally jumped in excitement.
"Boss, you're amazing!"
And once she put it on—she was Hall Master Hu Tao in the flesh.
Mo Li snapped a few photos of her together with Klee.
That very night, he edited the photos and uploaded them to the Mihoyo official site with captions:
Liyue Wangsheng Funeral Parlor Hall Master — Hu Tao
Knights of Favonius Spark Knight — Klee
Of course, he only posted them after getting the girls' consent.
Klee was a no-brainer—her cuteness was off the charts.
And Hall Master Hu Tao's outfit was fully covered and modest.
As soon as the photos went live, they shook the entire gaming community.
Everyone already knew Honkai Impact 3rd characters were based on real-life girls.
Now it turned out Genshin Impact was the same.
An adorably explosive Klee, a bright and energetic Hu Tao—the players were completely stunned.
The announcement's comment section was instantly flooded.
Countless messages of anticipation, countless demands for more reveals.
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