The mobile game Genshin Impact generates golden revenues

Jean de La Fontaine has long since left our world, but his golden goose is still very much alive. It has recently taken on the guise of a mobile game, as Genshin Impact 's revenues continue to soar. The game has generated nearly $400 million in the two months it has been in existence. This RPG, developed by miHoYo, was eagerly awaited and the least we can say is that it was a success. rewards In addition to its economic success, Genshin Impact has received numerous awards, such as Mobile Game of the Year at the 2020 Google Play Awards.

In the September-November ranking, the game is ranked second. It remains behind Honor of Kings, a Chinese giant developed by Tencent that benefits from the huge mobile gaming market in Asia. But the performance of Genshin Impact s performance is still remarkable. The RPG is ahead of behemoths like PUBG Mobile or Pokemon GO, which have been around for ages.

What revenues for free-to-play Genshin Impact ?

How can a free-to-play game generate so much revenue when, as the name suggests, you don't have to spend a cent to play the game? The answer can be found in one word: microtransaction. A term well known to mobile gaming experts, it is the joy of video game companies but the bane of our credit cards. Genshin Impact The game uses a gacha system, which is a bit like a lottery. There is therefore an important element of randomness in obtaining the best characters and equipment. You can't decide your luck in the draws, which are like wishes in the game... But by multiplying them, you mechanically increase the probabilities of obtaining valuable content.

This is why many players tempted by the lure of money buy Genesis Crystals to make as many wishes as possible. There are different packs that appeal to all player profiles, ranging from 2.97 dollars (60 crystals) to $29.99 (1,980 crystals). There are also temporary or special packs that give various benefits in exchange for real money.

A great start

If we break down the revenues of Genshin Impact week by week, we can see that the early days were the most profitable for miHoYo. The game generated $60 million in the first week and $100 million in the second. Earnings slowed down after that, but over the two months as a whole, they still averaged a staggering $6 million per day.

It is also worth noting that the App Store (57.5%) contributed more than Google Play (42.5%) to these impressive figures. Just goes to show that iPhone users are true to their reputation as high rollers 😉