Honkai Star Rail could potentially be one of the standout PC games of 2023, and I don’t say this lightly. Its smooth release has drawn a significant amount of my gaming time, possibly even surpassing my affection for Diablo 4. This sci-fi adventure from HoYoverse is characterized by its breathtaking anime-style visuals and engaging turn-based combat. It’s undeniably a success story. However, this success might have unintended consequences for HoYoverse and its sister title, Genshin Impact.
A detailed analysis conducted by Naavik, a gaming research, consulting, and advisory firm, reveals that Honkai Star Rail’s success may be causing a division within the HoYoverse gaming community. Using data from data.ai, the report indicates that Genshin Impact is struggling to maintain its player base because many players are migrating to Honkai instead.
According to Naavik’s research, from its release on April 26th until August 2023, Honkai Star Rail generated approximately $1,089,208,633 in revenue (although this figure is estimated and not precise). In comparison, Genshin Impact reportedly earned $3,663,384,204 across all platforms throughout the entire previous year.
The data also suggests that Honkai received twice as many downloads as Genshin did at launch. However, despite maintaining a larger player base, the two games’ revenue after two months appears to be relatively similar. Naavik speculates that this could be because Honkai’s monetization strategies might not be as effective, and they delve into the potential reasons for this.
Other contributing factors to Honkai’s successful launch include significant investments in TikTok and influencer marketing campaigns, along with an impressive pre-registration period. Regardless, it’s evident that Honkai has made a strong entrance into the gaming scene.
Nevertheless, this situation raises concerns about Honkai potentially cannibalizing Genshin’s potential revenue, as players seem to be divided between the two games instead of playing both simultaneously.
PCGamesN has sought clarification from HoYoverse regarding these statistics and will update the article with any additional information provided.
Speaking from personal experience, I can understand this trend. As mentioned earlier, I’ve spent a considerable amount of time playing Honkai Star Rail but relatively little playing Genshin Impact. While Honkai captivated me during long flights to Boston with its sci-fi aesthetic and breathtaking visuals, Genshin Impact, for me, felt somewhat grind-heavy, with the gacha elements sometimes overshadowing the gameplay.
With Zenless Zone Zero on the horizon, there’s potential for HoYoverse to further divide its player base, especially considering the impressive visuals of ZZZ. If you find yourself immersed in Honkai, we have a Honkai Star Rail tier list to guide you on character pulls, as well as a list of active Honkai Star Rail codes to help you acquire much-needed Stellar Jade.