Genshin Impact: The Argument For and Against a Dedicated PvP Mode

Genshin Impact has offered small events with elements of competition between players in the past, akin to party games, and Genius Invocation TCG, but never proper duels between two or more players. So, finally committing to introducing a dedicated PvP game mode in Genshin Impact could be a natural progression for the game.

However, even though a PvP game mode wouldn’t be too out of place in a combat-driven game such as Genshin Impact, there are two valid sides to the argument of whether this should be added to the game. Overall, adding a PvP game mode could be a welcome addition to the game for future updates for Genshin Impact to consider, but if it disrupts the game’s current experience, then it might be for the best for Genshin Impact to keep its PvP limited to friendly competitions instead of full-on duels.

Arguments For a PvP Game Mode in Genshin Impact

• PvP game modes can give players new ways to play between major updates and events
• PvP could inspire more diversity in Genshin Impact’s meta

One of the main appeals of introducing a PvP game mode to Genshin Impact is that, regardless of how rewarding this game mode is, it could help with the game’s longevity after the ongoing Archon questline of the Teyvat Chapter concludes. More specifically, PvP could give players a timeless activity to engage with between the release of new events and updates for Genshin Impact.

Another reason why PvP could shine in Genshin Impact is that it could shake up the existing meta. Players have recently been calling for a rework of the Cryo Element in Genshin Impact, mainly due to criticisms of the Freeze and Shatter Elemental reactions not being effective against bosses and major enemies. However, a permanent Freeze team composition in Genshin Impact could be quite powerful in a PvP setting. The same applies to the Geo Element, whereas the Crystallize Elemental reaction is often considered underwhelming in PvE, but PvP game modes could give new life to this and other off-meta team compositions.

Arguments Against a PvP Game Mode in Genshin Impact

• PvP could lead to unwanted PvE balancing changes
• Introducing and maintaining PvP game modes could hinder Genshin Impact’s update release schedule
• PvP raises pay-to-win concerns

While balancing a PvP game mode could lead to reworks for off-meta characters in Genshin Impact that are arguably long overdue, it’s just as likely that balancing a PvP game mode could lead to nerfs of popular meta characters, negatively affecting their performance in PvE. For the players who aren’t interested in PvP, these kinds of nerfs would be a cause for controversy.

Apart from balancing concerns affecting the PvE meta, another argument against adding a dedicated PvP game mode to Genshin Impact is that it would presumably take away resources from developing new PvE content. Genshin Impact has a reputation for releasing large-scale updates on a consistent and generously frequent schedule, so disrupting this schedule could lead to backlash from the community, especially if it’s to introduce and maintain a niche game mode that might not resonate with the game’s community in the long term.

Lastly, and perhaps the biggest concern, PvP in Genshin Impact naturally risks being a pay-to-win controversy waiting to happen. New characters in Genshin Impact are constantly setting new standards for the latest meta, except with the game’s current focus on a casual and balanced PvE experience, players can overcome most if not all challenges as a free-to-play Genshin Impact player. However, as a gacha game, introducing PvP to Genshin Impact would put pressure on players to spend money on pulling the latest characters just to have a fighting chance.