HoYoverse’s promotion of the Natlan region in Genshin Impact has stirred both excitement and controversy. The Western community, particularly on X (Twitter) and other platforms, has expressed dissatisfaction with the skin color of Natlan characters, arguing they are not dark enough. Natlan, a Pyro fire element region, is inspired by cultures typically associated with darker skin tones, yet the characters revealed so far mostly have light or brown skin.
The criticism has sparked significant discussion, involving English voice actors and game content creators who voiced their disappointment. Additionally, a petition by Aventurine of Stratagems addressing “Cultural Appropriation & Whitewashing” in HoYoverse games has garnered nearly 50,000 signatures.
This isn’t the first instance of such backlash; similar concerns arose with the introduction of Sumeru characters. Conversely, the gaming communities in Asia, particularly in Japan and China, have shown more enthusiasm for new characters and content rather than focusing on the controversy.
