Genshin Impact developer further downplays comparisons with Breath of the Wild

By Aaron Mamiit September 26, 2020

The developers of Genshin Impact doubled down on their take that the game is not a copycat of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild for the Nintendo Switch, despite player accusations of such ever since the game’s initial trailers.

Game developer miHoYo repeated that Breath of the Wild was one of its inspirations in creating Genshin Impact as an open-world RPG, in an interview with FreeMMOStation. “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is one of the most popular and respected titles in the industry, and one which our staff hold in high regard,” the studio said.

Genshin Impact, however, is “very different” than Breath of the Wild once you play the game, miHoYo said, with multiple characters in a party and Musou-style gameplay. In comparison, players only control Link in Breath of the Wild.

In August 2019 at ChinaJoy, the largest gaming and digital entertainment expo in Asia, a Breath of the Wild fan protested Genshin Impact‘s similarities with the Nintendo Switch game by smashing a PlayStation 4 Pro to the ground.

Genshin Impact is set to launch on September 28 for the PlayStation 4, PC, iOS, and Android. It remains to be seen whether comparisons with Breath of the Wild will die down or intensify once players get their hands on the game.

In the interview, miHoYo also revealed that a Nintendo Switch version of Genshin Impact is in development, and that there are no plans of releasing the game for the Xbox One. The studio also said that it was focusing on the single-player and co-op modes of the game, not on a player-vs-player feature.

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Move over Zelda: Tchia is officially my most anticipated game of 2023

Tchia glides through the air.

There are many big-budget games to look forward to in 2023, like Starfield, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. But after going hands-on with a much smaller indie title, I have a new most anticipated title of 2023. The game in question is Tchia, a vibrant, cheerful, and free-flowing open-world game about a girl exploring a tropical archipelago in the Pacific Ocean.
Tchia - Commented Gameplay Walkthrough
Tchia first caught my attention in a hands-off preview of Kepler Interactive's Gamescom lineup last year, but it took me going hands-on to really understand the magic of Tchia. A freeing open-world game in the same vein as The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Elden Ring, or Sable, Tchia lets players loose on beautiful islands in the Pacific and gives them tools to explore by climbing, gliding, possessing animals and objects, and sailing wherever they want. Its deep understanding and respect for the culture it represents enhance the experience too. If you're wondering what indie darling will wind up becoming this year's critically acclaimed game of the year dark horse, you'll want to keep an eye on Tchia.
What is Tchia?
Tchia is an open-world game following a little girl (named Tchia) trying to find her missing father on an archipelago inspired by New Caledonia, a tropical archipelago in the Pacific Ocean where some of the game's developers are from. While players have the stamina to climb up buildings and trees, swing from them, and even swim, dive, and sail around these islands, they can also soul-jump into lots of different animals and objects. These each add even more gameplay gimmicks that enhance exploration and help Tchia solve puzzles.

I had the chance to play some main story missions during my preview where Tchia befriends a young girl and explores one of the game's biggest islands, completing various objectives and even hunting for treasure. The story was fairly light in what I played, but the gameplay really shined. Although I had some objectives, it was just as fun to climb up the trees near the starting town and fling Tchia into a glide to travel a longer distance.
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Oh, and did I mention you can play the ukulele? Because Tchia features a fully playable ukulele.
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Link on island in the sky in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.

During the September 2022 Direct, Nintendo announced the title and release date for the sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Titled The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, this game will launch for Nintendo Switch on May 12, 2023.

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