Hoyoverse released a trailer showing the Pyro Archon and other Natlan characters in Genshin Impact. Some fans are worried about whitewashing in the game.
Genshin Impact’s next big adventure in Natlan is almost here, but it’s not as cheery as its rainbow-painted landscapes might suggest.
On Friday, developer Hoyoverse released a teaser trailer showing 11 characters that will be joining the game as part of the Natlan storyline, including one major figure: the possible Pyro Archon, Mavuika.
While a new character usually ignites excitement within the fandom, the trailer and Mavuika have inspired criticism from players who say the characters are based on, but don’t properly represent, Latin American cultures.
Originally released in 2020, Genshin Impact is one of the flagship games in the ever-growing catalog of games by developer Hoyoverse. In it, players assume the role of The Traveler, a twin in search of their long-lost sibling in a sprawling open-world adventure.
In the summer of 2023, the developers added the region of Fontaine, a water wonderland inspired by France and the U.K. In 2022, the development team released Sumeru, a region inspired by Middle Eastern and South Asian peoples and regions, which some criticized for employing stereotypes to build its world.
