Genshin Impact returns as top profit-making Gacha Game for HoYoverse

When it comes to games seemingly printing money for their publishers, the Gacha game phenomenon shows no sign of slowing down. Heavy hitters such as Genshin Impact – have generated an astonishing $3 billion in two years for HoYoverse – including making its first billion in around six months.

The more recent and hugely well-received Honkai Star Rail has seen the majority of its success like most Gachas on mobile, winning both the Apple and Google Game of the Year awards respectively. It is also up for Best Mobile Game in this week’s industry Game Awards. However, Honkai’s income has dipped some 50% as of the end of last month.

The rankings, produced by Sensor Tower show Genshin reclaiming the top spot after a strong November and Honkai, perhaps with some of the novelty wearing off, dropping down to third.

Not that HoYoverse will be too upset as it is the publisher of both games, but it is interesting to see players seemingly switch between the two titles.

Much can rest on current events and available characters (banners) at any one time. Genshin Impact has benefitted from popular drops here and made a tidy $54 million in November alone. The impact of a good banner cannot be underestimated.

What are Gacha games?

Gacha games are so-called as they implement the popular toy-vending (gacha) mechanic of spending money to receive a random prize. Popularised in Japan a decade or so again, they are becoming increasingly popular in Korean and Chinese games. Comparable to the Western loot box mechanic, most Gacha games are free to play and dominate the mobile gaming space, but often with PC and console versions as well. 

The move to desktop versions of the game has intensified in recent times as the tech specs needed to run the games at their best have continued to rise.

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