Genshin Impact fans are outraged that, while MiHoYo have brought the “KFC glider” to the west, they would need to buy Twitch subscriptions.
An event previously held in China offered a KFC-themed glider and more; but was so popular that it was soon cancelled due to overwhelming demand and large gatherings at KFC restraunts. Some of the crowds easily rivaled lines normally associated with Black Friday or a new game console launch, with fans camping outside the day before the event started and crowding inside of the restaurants.
The reason most commonly cited for breaking up the event was violation of China’s ongoing social distancing guidelines to prevent the spread of COVID-19, though others speculated was also be due to Chinese laws requiring large gatherings be reported to authorities beforehand.
For the west, the event is known as the “Adventures’ Guild on Twitch;” though players can still obtain the Wings of Feasting glider in KFC red and white. From November 25th to December 8th (11:59 p.m. UTC+8), players can earn the glider and more via purchasing two months worth of Tier 1 subscriptions to participating Twitch channels.
The full bundle of in-game items players can earn includes the Wings of Feasting glider, 30,000 Mora, Jade Parcels, 2 Tonkotsu Ramen, and 2 Sautéed Matsutake. Redemption codes can only be used by players who have reached Adventure Rank 10. The FAQ also notes “you can also get a redemption code by making a total of two new Tier 1 subscriptions (or gift subscriptions) on two channels.”
The list of participating Twitch channels will be updated November 24th. You can find the full terms and conditions here.
However, the decision has not seemed popular with some. Fans have complained on Hololabs and on Twitter [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8] have expressed their annoyance.
Many cite that the fan-base do not use Twitch, nor wish to buy a subscription. The promotion was compared to similar events in MiHoYo games where fans were tasked with giving money to charity. Others noted they would rather have eaten KFC (not intended as a compliment to the fast-food chain). One fan noted how Final Fantasy XIV had conducted a similar event, but the reaction was much more positive.
This is the second time fans have been outraged over a Genshin Impact event; as the game’s one year anniversary giveaways and prizes felt meager. Fans also accused contests of tasking fans with promoting the game for free. MiHoYo later offered a bundle of Primogems, and a wing glider originally intended to be in a $30 USD bundle for the upcoming anniversary concert.
Genshin Impact is available and free-to-play on Windows PC (via the official website), PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Android, iOS, and coming soon to Nintendo Switch. In case you missed it, you can find our review here (we recommend it!)
