How much money does it take to play Genshin Impact?

Genshin Impact may be free to play, but spending money is an easy way to improve the experience.

Free-to-play games always come with a catch, and Genshin Impact is no exception. While players can download the world of Teyvat and play through all the story content for free, there’s no denying that the game is more fun with cash to spend. Five-star characters and weapons make everything easier, including experiencing the game’s story content. With so much reliance on spending, is Genshin Impact still worth playing if the player isn’t willing to spend money?

There are tons of different ways to spend money in Genshin Impact. The most obvious ways are the Welkin Moon and the upgrade battle pass. A $5 daily login reward grants half of a pull for 30 days while the $10 battle pass provides occasional pulls and useful materials. There’s also the option of just buying pulls directly. Packs range from 99 cents to $100. Genshin’s monetization even doubles the reward for the first purchase every year. Keep in mind that pulls cost 160 Primogems each.

While spending is highly encouraged, Genshin Impact still offers a decent chunk of free pulls and gameplay for its free-to-play users. Weekly events are open to all, and many systems from the seasonal hangouts to the Serenitea Pot hand out free pulls. Many of the craftable weapons are best-in-slot on some characters, and Hoyoverse throws players a free four-star for really big events like Chinese New Year. Just don’t expect to get every shiny new five-star.

Genshin Impact without money is tough, but still playable

Due to the way the pull system is structured, going free-to-play in Genshin Impact is a tough task. Players essentially lose access to the vast majority of the game’s characters and weapons. Daily free Primogems from commissions only add up to about one third of a pull. Weekly and monthly events can help, but getting multiple five-star pulls from a single banner is only possible with months of saving.

Many players take pride in enjoying Genshin Impact without spending a dime. Many of the most powerful characters are four-stars, and treasure chests are still a decent source of weapons. Artifacts and character talents materials are completely divorced from monetization, so players can still create a pretty powerful Genshin Impact team without paying much money. 

Since individual pulls are extremely expensive but free to play is more tedious, Genshin Impact tends to push players towards spending at least little bit of money every month. Welkin Moon provides 2,700 Primogems spread out across 30 days with a 300 purchase bonus. Purchasing the upgraded battle pass adds limited banner pulls and a ton of extra rewards to the monthly event. Think of the $15 for both as a monthly subscription, and Genshin Impact doesn’t cost much more money than many MMOs.

Comparing Genshin Impact to online casino games

Still, the random nature of the game’s pulls do incentivize repeat spending given their random nature. It adds up to make Genshin Impact feel almost like a casino game even for players who are willing to spend. That’s not surprise, as online casino games are becoming only more popular around the world. That includes in places like New Zealand, where operators compete to be known as the best online casino NZ. Competition is stiff, and games like Genshin Impact are now competing with operators to make it even more so, which helps to better explain why the game so incentivizes players to spend money.

Can players play Genshin Impact without spending real money? The answer is yes, but it won’t necessarily be easy.