Genshin Impact is really one of the first games of its kind, a full-fledged AAA gacha game. The "gacha" genre derives its name from a series of Japanese vending machines where people pay to get a capsule containing a random figure or character. Known as gacha machines, the idea carried into video games when titles started using random draws to award players new characters, items, etc. For years now gacha games have blown up on mobile, but it's rare to see one with a huge budget, and one that hits any kind of success on home consoles. Genshin Impact does both of these things, and strings players along with the promise of new playable characters. The gacha mechanics and microtransactions don't feel as insidious in Genshin Impact because there's a lengthy, quality experience at the core of the game that players can get through without spending a dime.
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