Summary

• Genshin Impact for Xbox Series X/S will be released in November, possibly alongside Version 5.2.
• Cross-progression will allow seamless gameplay between different platforms via HoYoverse s.
• Xbox Game subscribers will receive exclusive in-game rewards, though more details will be announced in the future.

The release date for Nintendo Switch version of Genshin Impact has not been mentioned by the developer for years now, making the reveal for Xbox consoles quite a surprise.

For clarification, the game will not be made available for Xbox platforms immediately, but it will be released in the near future. The focus, at the moment, is the release of Version 5.0, the next major update for the title. Version 5.0 will introduce the first portion of the playable nation of Natlan. Also known as the Nation of Pyro, Natlan will be accompanied by a whole set of new gameplay mechanics, as well as main story quests involving the Traveler’s search for their sibling and the local Archon. Additionally, several new Natlan characters in Genshin Impact will be introduced.

Release Date For Genshin Impact On Xbox

The Game’s New Platform Release Should Coincide With Version 5.2

As was announced by HoYoverse through a new Natlan gameplay trailer revealed at the Opening Night Live 2024 show broadcast on the official Gamescom channel on Twitch, Genshin Impact will be released for Xbox Series X/S platforms on November 20. The title can already be wishlisted on the Xbox Store, though it will only become available for players starting on the release date. Based on the game’s regular six-week schedule for every update, this Xbox release date will coincide with the arrival of Version 5.2 across all platforms. The title will not be made available for Xbox One consoles.

Version 5.2 is confirmed to not have any new Archon Quests in Natlan, giving Xbox players a few weeks to catch up on main story quests.

Genshin Impact’s Cross-Progression On Xbox Platforms

Players’ HoYoverse s Will Likely Be Linked To Their Xbox s

HoYoverse did not yet make any mention of the game’s cross-progression within Xbox platforms but, given previous releases, it is possible to imagine how this will unfold. Players can seamlessly transit between their preferred platforms and pick up right where they left off if they have their s connected. The way this is done is by setting up an official HoYoverse and then having it connected to each platform. This way, players use their HoYoverse to to Genshin Impact on PlayStation, PC, and mobile – and, in the near future, Xbox platforms as well.

The game’s cross-progression was openly confirmed by Microsoft during the Xbox showcase at Gamescom on the official Xbox channel on Twitch.

If players have the game installed on multiple platforms, they can play on whichever they prefer as long as the title is up-to-date on each system. As such, players can start on their home office’s PC, for instance, then transit over to the living room’s console, and then finish the day running Commissions on their mobile phone while they lie in bed, for example. The cross-progression will affect Xbox, too, meaning players who started Genshin Impact on whichever platform back in 2020 could on their Xbox Series X/S using the same to continue their adventure in Teyvat.

Differences In The Xbox Version Of Genshin Impact

Xbox Game Subscribers Will Have Exclusive Rewards

The main differences between the game on Xbox consoles and other currently available platforms should come down to the technical advantages the hardware presents when compared to some of the other specs. As seen on the title’s page on the Xbox Store, the game will be optimized for Xbox Series X/S consoles and should be able to run at 4K Ultra HD resolutions, provided the player has a display capable of reaching that type of resolution. Furthermore, Xbox Series X/S consoles will provide players with HDR10, which they will see reflected in Genshin Impact’s visual presentation while they play.

"Players will have exclusive in-game rewards via Game ."

There should not be such a difference between the game running on Xbox Series X/S consoles and PlayStation 5 or more advanced PC specs, but for players still stuck on PlayStation 4, older PCs, and weaker mobile devices, the graphic and performance differences could be notable, especially as the game continuously expands. Another difference offered by the release of Genshin Impact on Xbox is that the title will be available through Cloud gaming, a function made possible by Microsoft’s investment in the technology. This means players will be able to play on their phones while streaming the game from consoles.

Via the Cloud, the game would not need to be installed, saving a lot of hardware space on mobile devices, while also running the game with the benefits provided by the Xbox Series X/S hardware – as long as players have a strong and stable internet connection.

When it comes to playable content, the game’s version on Xbox should not see many differences. Upon release, players should have access to the complete content of the game up to Version 5.2, from the Mondstadt story arc until the first instances of story quests in Natlan. New players starting on Xbox will have a lot to catch up on, but they will not have lost much aside from limited-time events that have been introduced over the past years and possible character banners that they will have to wait to pull for in rerun banners in future Genshin Impact updates.

Some differences will be noted by Xbox Game subscribers. As was announced during the Xbox showcase at Gamescom 2024, subscribers will have access to exclusive in-game rewards via Game . The company did not specify exactly what players will get from their Xbox Game subscription, but rewards can range from in-game rewards like Character EXP Materials to Primogems and, possibly, even cosmetic options like gliders – PlayStation gifts the Wings of Descension wind glider to its players, for example, and Genshin Impact on Xbox could see a similar offer.

More details about the game’s availability on Xbox platforms should be revealed as its content pushes further into Natlan and closer to launch. The Game benefits, for example, should start to be d soon, giving players a clearer understanding of what they can get by playing Genshin Impact on Xbox Series X/S beyond the hardware advantages.

Source: Twitch/Gamescom, Xbox Store, Twitch/Xbox