The cast of characters in HoYoverse's Genshin Impact hails from the continent of Teyvat, which has seven nations: Mondstadt, Liyue, Inazuma, Sumeru, Fontaine, Natlan, and Snezhnaya. Each nation is ruled by one of seven Archons, or gods. Nearly all playable characters control one of seven natural elements with help from a Vision, a device the heavens grant to those with great ambitions, with the exception of some characters who control the elements through their own supernatural powers, such as Dainsleif, the Archons, and the Traveler.
Design
Some of Genshin Impact's characters were first introduced in an official manga released prior to the game's launch.[1]
When designing characters, the designers first decide who the character is at their core as well as their needs, then may design them to fit that original idea and those needs.[2] Designers may also consider the relation of a character to other characters in Teyvat: for instance, the elegant and reserved opera singer Yun Jin was designed to juxtapose the fiery and unbound rock star Xinyan.[3]
Many characters are derived from legends of certain nations: for instance, the adepti of Liyue are based on the Xian of Daoism. The idea of the Vision is derived from Daoism: the concept of a third eye manifests itself in humans in the form of their Vision.[2] Some characters, such as Alhaitham, Tighnari, and Xiangling, are named after historical or literary figures.
Characters
Playable
The following is a table that lists all currently confirmed playable characters by region in alphabetical order. All playable characters are associated with a specific region, with the exception of the Travelers and Aloy, who come from their own world.
The main protagonist of the game, who is known as the Traveler. Players can choose to play as either Aether (male) or Lumine (female) as the traveler, while the other is taken away to become the leader of the Abyss Order. After being separated from their twin, they are on a journey to meet the gods of Teyvat. Official materials usually depicts Aether as the Traveler and Lumine as the Abyss Princess.
The Chief Alchemist of the Knights of Favonius and the Captain of its Investigation Team. Albedo is not human, but rather a homunculus created by the legendary Khaenri'ahan alchemist Rhinedottir.
An outgoing, gregarious Knight of Favonius and the only member of its Outrider unit; she is widely regarded as the gliding champion of Mondstadt. Amber is the first playable character that players obtain in the game, other than the Traveler.
The Deaconess of the Church of Favonius and the younger sister of Jean, who is also a famous idol. Players can obtain Barbara after completing the prologue of the main story.
A solitary businessman and vintner who was formerly the Cavalry Captain of the Knights of Favonius. He and Kaeya grew up as adopted brothers, but are no longer on friendly terms. He secretly operates as a vigilante nicknamed "the Darknight Hero".
A descendant of the Lawrence Clan, whose tyrannical rule of Mondstadt eventually resulted in its overthrow and exile. She currently works for the Knights of Favonius as the Captain of its Reconnaissance Company.
The Cavalry Captain of the Knights of Favonius and Diluc's adopted brother. Kaeya is the second character that players obtain in the game. Kaeya originally hails from the mysterious nation of Khaenri’ah and serves as a sleeper agent for one of their ancient plots.
The Spark Knight of the Knights of Favonius and the daughter of Alice, a powerful sorceress. Her obsession with explosives at her young age has caused her to often be in solitary confinement.
The head librarian of the Knights of Favonius and a former student of the Sumeru Akademiya. She is the third character that players can obtain in the game.
A maid working for the Knights of Favonius who dreams of someday being a knight. She is one of the first characters that players can obtain through the "Beginner's Wish" banner.
A guard of the Sword and Strongbox Secure Transport Agency, which escorts goods from Yilong Wharf to Liyue Harbor. As the head of the Mighty Mythical Beasts, he seeks to make the Wushou Dance a regular occurrence in Liyue Harbor.
The half-qilin secretary of the Liyue Qixing. She is also an adeptus, a species of illuminated beasts native to Liyue, and is currently bound by a contract involving the Geo Archon.
The 77th Director of Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, who is carefree and lively. She never misses an opportunity to sell coffins to people, and enjoys playing pranks on others.
The adepti's knowledgeable and chatty master, the human form of the Cloud Retainer. She is one of Morax's old allies, Shenhe's teacher, and Ganyu's mentor.
A ronin and poet who is a temporary member of Beidou's crew. Despite his remarkable skill with a blade, Kazuha is a gentle soul who wishes to travel without the burdens of his past.
A mujina ninja who is a member of the Shuumatsuban, an organization the Yashiro Commission secretly runs. She believes that sleeping will make her grow taller.
A clever kitsune and the owner of the Yae Publishing House. She is also the head shrine maiden of the Grand Narukami shrine and an old friend of Raiden Ei.
An Avidya Forest Ranger trainee under Tighnari's mentorship and a close friend of Amber. She is one of the main characters of the manga, which details her traumatic past. Players can obtain Collei by completing Floor 4 of the Spiral Abyss.
A theoretical astrology student at the Sumeru Akademiya who suffers from chronic sleep deprivation. It is also possible that she has a more lively, pragmatic alter ego.
The former Sixth Fatui Harbinger, Scaramouche, who Raiden Ei originally created as a prototype for her mortal vessel before she abandoned him. He seeks to destroy himself from the world's knowledge to rid himself of his sins. Players can rename the Wanderer after completion of a certain quest.
An undefeated Champion Duelist in Fontaine who once served as Furina's personal bodyguard. A successor of Fontaine's Marechaussee Hunters of old, she is trained in the art of their swordsmanship.
A renowned perfumer whose products are highly sought out by Fontaine's fashionistas. A friend of Chevreuse, she has helped her solve some difficult cases.
An actor and celebrity in Fontaine who has a childlike temper, but who can also be caring at times.[b] She is the vessel of the former Hydro Archon, Focalors.
An introverted catgirl who is Lyney's sister and assistant. Like him, she belongs to the House of the Hearth, an orphanage run by the Fatui. Players can obtain Lynette after reaching an Adventure Rank of 25.
Lynette's brother, who is a famous magician in Fontaine. He is outgoing and spirited, in contrast to his siblings. Like his sister, he belongs to the House of the Hearth.
The president of the Spina di Rosula, an organization in Fontaine that extends aid and assistance to citizens that the nation's governing body does not cover.
The imposing Chief Justice of the Court of Fontaine. He is also the reincarnation of the Hydro Sovereign, the Dragon of Water, one of the rulers of Teyvat's ancient dragon race.
The Administrator and Warden of the Fortress of Meropide, an underwater autonomous stronghold that serves as Fontaine's de facto prison. He often goes by the title of "Duke", or "Your Grace".
Natlan is expected for release in 2024.[40] Iansan is expected to be one of the playable characters.
Snezhnaya
Snezhnaya is expected for release in 2025. Some characters have been released early due to the Fatui's involvement in other regions' Archon Quests.[41]
The Fourth of the Fatui Harbingers, sometimes called "The Knave" or "Father", and the current director of the House of the Hearth. She obtained the title after killing Crucabena, the previous Knave. She is diplomatic, cunning and ruthless. Her real name is Peruere.
The Eleventh of the Fatui Harbingers, more commonly known as "Childe." His real name is Ajax. The youngest and lowest-ranking Harbinger, he is often carefree and enjoys fighting powerful opponents.
Paimon (Voiced by: Duoduo Poi (Shi Xinlei), Corina Boettger,[4]Aoi Koga,[4] Kim Ga-ryeong). The Traveler's guide and companion, who mostly speaks for them due to them being a silent protagonist.
Sustainer of Heavenly Principles (Voiced by: Tao Dian, Christie Cate, Rie Kugimiya, Unknown). The mysterious god who fights the Traveler and abducts their sibling at the beginning of the game, thus beginning their journey through Teyvat.
Katheryne (Voiced by: Xiao N (Jiang Li), Erica Mendez,[43] Mai Sato, Park Go-woon). The receptionist of the Adventurer's Guild. It is later revealed in the Sumeru chapter that Katheryne is a bionic puppet made in Snezhnaya.
The Eleven Fatui Harbingers, the powerful lieutenants of the Tsaritsa. They are based on characters from the commedia dell'arte:[44]
La Signora (Voiced by: Ziyin (Qi Tianyi), Unknown, Yui Shoji, Unknown), or "The Fair Lady". The Eighth Fatui Harbinger, she steals Venti's Gnosis, bargains with Zhongli for his Gnosis, and tries taking the Raiden Shogun's Gnosis as the Tsaritsa desires to collect all Archons' Gnoses. After helping to incite turmoil and a civil war in the nation of Inazuma, the Traveler challenges her to a duel that leads to her execution by the Raiden Shogun.
Il Dottore, (Voiced by: Wu Lei, Mick Wingert,[45]Toshihiko Seki,[46] Park Seong-tae), or "The Doctor." The Second Fatui Harbinger, he is a mad scientist and the main antagonist of the Sumeru chapter, attempting to create an artificial god to replace the Dendro Archon.
Dainsleif (Voiced by: Sun Ye, Yuri Lowenthal,[4]Kenjiro Tsuda,[4]Choi Han). A wandering stranger from the fallen civilization of Khaenri'ah, who served as the captain of its royal knights and was cursed with immortality after failing to protect its citizens. He used to travel with the Traveler's sibling and occasionally meets with the Traveler to share information he has gathered about their lost twin.
Rhinedottir (Voiced by: Fan Churong, Ivy Dupler,[47]Atsuko Tanaka, Ahn So-yeon), or "Gold." An alchemist from Khaenri'ah with the ability to create life, she is the creator of Albedo, the dragon Durin, and the Riftwolves that plague Teyvat. She is also responsible for triggering the cataclysm that destroyed Teyvat 500 years prior to the game's events.
Skirk (Voiced by: Xie Ying, Cat Protano , Noto Mamiko, Seo Dahye). A mysterious swordswoman who took Tartaglia as an apprentice after he fell into the Abyss as a teenager.
Reception
The characters of Genshin Impact have enjoyed positive reception, especially in terms of revenue: as Genshin Impact is a gacha game, much of its revenue comes from sales of in-game currency players use to obtain characters. Most revenue comes from limited character banners. Across all platforms, including mobile, console and computer platforms, the game is estimated to have grossed nearly US$3.7billion in its first year by September 2021, the highest ever first-year launch revenue for any video game.[48][49][50] The mobile version grossed a further US$567million between January and March 2022.[51]
Several of the game's characters have enjoyed massive popularity and have earned millions of dollars in revenue. For instance, in March 2021, it was reported that Zhongli was the game's highest grossing character, with US$15.5million reported in revenue at the time.[52] This number was later eclipsed by the December 2022 release of Raiden Shogun, whose first banner earned US$9million in two days from Chinese iOS sales;[53] by the time the banner ended, it had netted around US$33million in the Chinese market alone.[54] Shogun's record was eventually broken by the November 2, 2022 banner, which introduced the Dendro archon Nahida and earned US$34million in the Chinese market.[55]
Controversy
In November 2020, following Zhongli's release he received criticism from fans; due to his equipment and gameplay being viewed as poor, many took Zhongli as an insult toward Chinese players. miHoYo published a blog post in response, noting that the character was working as designed.[56] Later, miHoYo issued an apology, and promised to improve the character's kit during beta testing for version 1.3.[57]
In early March 2023, HoYoverse was criticized following Dehya's release, as some of the game's fanbase argued that her kit was underpowered and dysfunctional, particularly compared to those of lower-rarity characters.[58][59] Several players announced that they had stopped spending money on the game, while others sent feedback to HoYoverse demanding improvements.[60] As one of the few dark-skinned playable characters in the game, some suggested that her poor skillset might be due to colorism, given similar accusations made against HoYoverse in the past.[61] A campaign urging the wider playerbase to press HoYoverse for change trended on X under the hashtag #FixDehya, with many spamming the game's official account.[62]
Notes
^In the English version of the game, Tighnari was originally voiced by Elliot Gindi. However, after sexual abuse allegations were raised against Gindi, he was replaced by Gordon.[30][31]
^Furina was created by the Hydro Archon Focalors to impersonate the Archon, thereby preventing a cataclysmic prophecy. Furina was believed to be an Archon by the people of Fontaine, but the end of Fontaine's story revealed the truth. After Focalors sacrificed herself to prevent the prophecy, Furina's childlike temper and irritability decreased.
^원신 | 3.7 버전 PV: 「듀얼! 소환왕 결정전!」 (Television production) (in Korean). HoYoverse. May 13, 2023. Archived from the original on May 13, 2023. Retrieved May 13, 2023.