Genshin Impact Natlan Boycott – Today we’re diving into the wild world of Genshin Impact, where some serious chaos is unfolding among parts of the fanbase. So, what’s going on? Well, recently, miHoYo announced a brand-new region called Natlan, and the reaction was immediate.
People took to Twitter, hurling accusations of cultural appropriation and racism at the reveal. It’s ironic because the same folks who often defend race-swapping characters in other contexts are now up in arms over the melanin of fictional characters in a game.
Genshin Impact Natlan The Boycott Movement
In the wake of this reveal, a full-blown boycott has kicked off, with some users even encouraging others to report official Genshin Impact accounts for hate speech. You’ll notice that while these activists are rallying to boycott, they’re not telling people to stop playing the game.
In fact, many joining this so-called boycott are still logging in and enjoying the game. Their ultimate goal? To get Genshin Impact reported to the Apple Store and Google Play for offensive content—effectively trying to remove the game for everyone because they’re upset about characters from this fictional region.
To add fuel to the fire, several English voice actors from the game have backed these protests, urging players to contact miHoYo. Some have even provided email templates discussing cultural appropriation.
Petitions and Their Impact
A few days ago, the official boycott petition reached 100,000 signatures, which they tout as a massive milestone. Their message? “United for authentic representation.” This echoes the “authentic casting” debate we’ve seen in the industry, where voice actors are pushed to match characters’ real-life ethnicities. But this has backfired, as evidenced by ProZD losing roles due to his own stance on casting.
So, what does this 100,000 signatures really mean? Well, if you dig deeper, it’s just about 0.1% of total downloads on Android devices. That’s a minuscule fraction, assuming all signers are even players of Genshin Impact. It’s a safe bet that a good number of those signing the petition aren’t even active players but are just jumping on the bandwagon because it’s trendy to protest.
miHoYo’s Response to the Genshin Impact Natlan Boycott
Ultimately, miHoYo’s responses to the controversy have been pretty straightforward, reminding players that Genshin Impact is not real life. It’s a crucial point that dismisses much of the outrage: Natlan is a fictional place, and the characters could be any color, even purple. Yet, amidst all this hyper-focus on race and skin color, we’re seeing bizarre posts, like one that claims to track skin tones as if it’s somehow essential to discuss within the context of a game.
And then there are the leaks from the game causing further outcry. One character, inspired by Native Americans, was criticized for performing the capoeira—a Brazilian martial art. Critics failed to understand that the game mixes cultures in a fantastical way, and the premise of their outrage is fundamentally flawed.
In conclusion, the Genshin Impact boycott has exposed the absurdity of online slacktivism, where people rally against something while still actively supporting it. The sheer disconnect between the protest’s goals and the actions of its supporters speaks volumes.
MiHoYo will likely continue on its path, unfazed by the noise. In the end, it’s essential to engage in genuine discussions rather than participating in movements driven by outrage without substance, but we will see what becomes of these.