If you’ve scrolled past TikTok edits of Zhongli slamming his shield, seen friends posting about their latest 5-star character pulls, or spotted billboards for the latest Fontaine or Natlan update, you’ve probably asked yourself: should i play Genshin Impact? The open-world RPG from HoYoverse has exploded in popularity since its launch, boasting over 65 million monthly active players across PC, console, and mobile. But with gacha mechanics, hundreds of hours of content, and an ever-expanding story, it’s normal to wonder if it’s worth sinking your time (and potentially money) into. I’ve put 800+ hours into the game across three years, so I’m breaking down exactly who will love it, who might want to skip it, and what you need to know before you download.
What to Consider When Asking “Should I Play Genshin Impact”
Before you hit the download button, start by assessing a few simple parts of your gaming preferences and lifestyle. First, think about how much free time you have to dedicate to a new game. Genshin isn’t a title you can beat in a single weekend; it’s a live service that adds new content every six weeks, so you can play for hundreds of hours and still have things to do. That’s a huge plus for people who want a consistent game to pop into daily, but a turnoff for players who prefer to finish a story and move on to the next title.
Next, think about how you feel about random reward systems and light grinding. You won’t have to grind to progress through the main story, but if you want to make your favorite characters as strong as possible, you will need to farm materials from bosses and domains a few times a week. The game is completely free to play from start to finish – you never have to spend money to access the main story or all open world areas, so you don’t have to worry about paywalls blocking core content.
Finally, ask yourself if you enjoy games that let you set your own goals. There’s no required endgame in Genshin, so you can play entirely at your own pace without worrying about keeping up with other players. Many people asking should I play Genshin Impact worry most about falling behind, but there’s no penalty for taking weeks or even months off from the game whenever you want.
The Biggest Pros of Playing Genshin Impact
If you’re still weighing whether Genshin is right for you, these pros will help you see why so many players stick around for years. First, the open world design is unmatched by almost any other free-to-play game on the market. Each region of Teyvat has completely unique art, music, and environmental puzzles that feel nothing like the areas that came before. I still remember spending 3 hours just gliding around Liyue’s mountains when I first started, hunting for cor lapis and stopping to watch the sunset over the harbor. No other open world game has given me that same sense of childlike wonder.
The combat system is another huge draw. It’s based on elemental reactions, so you can mix and match characters from seven different elements to create custom team combos. It’s simple enough that casual players can get by with basic attacks, but deep enough that hardcore players can spend hours optimizing builds to clear high-difficulty content like the Spiral Abyss.
Best of all, you get an incredible amount of content for zero cost. Some of the biggest perks for free players include:
- Full access to all story chapters and open world maps without spending a penny
- Cross-save support across PC, PlayStation, iOS, and Android so you can play anywhere
- Regular free character and primogem (gacha currency) giveaways during events
- Co-op mode that lets you explore, fight bosses, and complete domains with up to 3 friends
The story is also surprisingly well-written, with main Archon quests that tackle heavy, nuanced topics like grief, colonialism, and found family that you don’t expect from a “cute anime game”. Side quests are even better, with small, personal stories that stick with you long after you finish them. There’s no “right” way to play Genshin – you can spend all your time hunting for chests, cooking recipes, raising your favorite characters, or just taking pretty screenshots if that’s what you enjoy.
The Drawbacks You Need to Know Before Downloading
Genshin isn’t perfect, and there are some real downsides that make it a bad fit for a lot of players. First and foremost is the gacha system. Even though you never have to spend money to play, it’s easy to get tempted to drop cash on limited-time character banners if you fall in love with a specific 5-star. Pity systems guarantee a 5-star every 90 pulls, but there’s a 50% chance you’ll get a standard banner character instead of the limited one you want. That means you could end up spending hundreds of dollars for a single character if you get unlucky. If you have a history of gambling addiction, this alone is enough to skip the game entirely.
Once you catch up to the latest story content, the daily routine can feel pretty repetitive. Most long-time players only log on for 10 to 15 minutes a day to complete daily commissions and farm materials, then log off until the next event or update. If you prefer games with a constant stream of content to work through, that slow drip of new updates might feel boring after a few months.
The game also takes up a huge amount of storage space. On PC, it’s over 80GB as of the latest update, and on mobile it takes up more than 35GB, which is a big ask if you have limited space on your device. The early game can feel overwhelming too, with dozens of tutorials, currencies, and systems thrown at you in the first 10 hours. Don’t be surprised if you feel lost for the first few hours of play – most players take a week or two to get the hang of all the different mechanics.
Who Is (and Isn’t) Genshin Impact For
After weighing all the pros and cons, it’s easy to see who will get the most out of the game. Genshin is a great fit if you love open world exploration, enjoy creative combat systems that let you experiment, and prefer playing games in short 15 to 30 minute bursts most days with longer sessions on weekends. It’s also perfect if you like games that let you play at your own pace, with no pressure to keep up with other players or hit arbitrary milestones.
On the flip side, Genshin probably isn’t for you if you hate gacha mechanics and random reward systems, don’t have any patience for light grinding for character materials, or prefer fast-paced competitive games with clear win/loss states. It’s also not a good fit if you only play games to beat them as fast as possible and move on to the next title, since the story is still ongoing after three years with no end in sight.
If you’re on the fence, you can try the first 20 hours of the game completely risk-free. You won’t be locked into any spending, and you’ll get a clear feel for whether the gameplay loop clicks for you before you invest more time. You can even unlock a handful of free 4-star characters in those first 20 hours to test out different playstyles before you decide if you want to keep playing.
At the end of the day, the answer to should I play Genshin Impact depends entirely on what you want out of a game. It’s not for everyone, but for players who love immersive worlds, creative combat, and stories that stick with you long after you turn off your screen, it’s one of the best free-to-play options on the market right now. If you do decide to download, take it slow – don’t rush to catch up to the latest content, and focus on the parts of the game that bring you joy instead of chasing every meta character. You might just end up with a new favorite hobby that keeps you entertained for years.