Genshin Impact is on its way to Xbox

Genshin Impact fans have been eagerly waiting for this moment, and it's finally here — Genshin Impact is coming to Xbox on November 20, 2024! The announcement dropped at the end of the Natlan gameplay trailer during the GAMESCOM opening night live event on August 20, 2024, and it’s safe to say it sent shockwaves through the gaming community.

This is a huge deal, especially considering the rumors that Microsoft and miHoYo couldn't reach an agreement a few years ago.

Microsoft finally catches up to Sony after lost deal

Back in October 2022, a Reuters report discussed the failed negotiations between Microsoft and miHoYo, which left Xbox players on the sidelines. The report, which cited anonymous sources, suggested that Sony’s early success with Genshin Impact may have added some urgency for Microsoft to secure the game for its own platform.

After all, Genshin Impact was one of the biggest games on PlayStation, and Microsoft wasn’t about to miss out on the growing Chinese gaming market. To make up for lost time, Microsoft reportedly started building a team dedicated to scouting Chinese games, looking to avoid missing another opportunity like they did with miHoYo.

To put the financial stakes into perspective, Microsoft allegedly shelled out $2.5 million USD to bring ARK: Survival Evolved to Game Pass and another $2.3 million USD for ARK 2, both from Studio Wildcard, a developer owned by China’s Snail Games. Clearly, Microsoft wasn’t afraid to spend big to catch up in the Chinese gaming market. Now that Genshin Impact is finally heading to Xbox, it feels like a major win for Microsoft.

Natlan gameplay shows beautiful new region in Genshin Impact

But it’s not just the Xbox release that has fans excited — Natlan, the new region, is almost here too! This fiery land is devoted to Mavuika, the Pyro Archon and God of War. Natlan’s people are grouped into various tribes, each with its own unique culture and rules. Back in the era of Tenoch, over 1,000 years ago, there were at least six major tribes in Natlan. Now, three of the most prominent tribes are the Nanatzcayan, the Huitzlan, and the Meztli.

As part of this update, we’re getting three new characters from Natlan—Kachina, Kinich, and Mualani—who are sure to bring some exciting new abilities to the game. Natlan is expected to launch as part of the Version 5.0 update, which should drop on August 28, 2024 if it follows the usual schedule. We already know that Genshin Impact is going to offer a free five-star selector and Artifact stat changer in that same update, too!

Xbox players will have to wait a little longer to explore this region and Genshin's other lands.

Want to read more about Genshin Impact here at Pro Game Guides? Check out Genshin Impact Codes – 5.0 Codes! (August 2024) and All Genshin Impact Character Ages, Birthdays, and Zodiac Signs.