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Although they are very similar, Genshin Impact and Honkai Star Rail feature a wide array of differences. Besides their aesthetic and Gacha-based gameplay, these two series are unique experiences. Despite their similarities and comparisons from fans, the two franchises have been relatively disconnected from each other. Though something like a special crossover could bridge the gap between the two series, to this day, there still isn’t any talk of a collab between Genshin Impact and Honkai Star Rail. However, one thing that could break this trend of separation is a shared character. Creating a guest character shared between both games would be a great change of pace, cementing the bond between Genshin and Honkai Star Rail.
What Would a Shared Character Between Genshin and Honkai Entail?
In concept, a shared character collaboration between Genshin and Honkai Star Rail would be interesting to pull off. This character, firstly, could be the same in both series. For example, if the character were to be a Cryo user focusing on shields in Genshin, they could be Ice, with a path of Preservation in Honkai. On the other hand, a shared character could also just be a shared concept between both series that are released simultaneously.
Such an idea would be reminiscent of the characters Zeri and Neon from League of Legends and Valorant. While these are two different characters, they share many similarities in design. Additionally, they were released as a special crossover between those two Riot games. With HoYoverse’s focus on characters, this could be a huge event to draw in fans from both Genshin and Honkai.
Genshin Has Had Guest Characters in the Past
So far, Genshin Impact has been relatively self-contained. Out of the entire three years since release, only one guest character from a different property has been introduced — Aloy from the Horizon series. While Genshin has a wide variety of characters that can become fully playable, it’s nice to see something new released occasionally. Sadly, due to Aloy’s lack of popularity, it seems HoYoverse is resistant to the idea. However, in this case, a shared character wouldn’t fall into the same category. Instead, this shared guest character would be more similar to an average Genshin addition, with the added benefit of being in Honkai. Overall, for HoYoverse, this could be a fantastic chance to generate interest for both games.
Additionally, a shared character could create more unity between Genshin and Honkai’s development teams. While this seems like a detail that doesn’t affect players too much, it could influence the future of both games. Currently, many fans think of HoYoverse games all in one large category, almost like a genre in itself. This creates a strong brand around the central design and gameplay of these HoYoverse games. Having a shared character would strengthen this brand, paving the way for new forms of collaboration as well. This could include more fanart, crossover events, or even rewards for playing both series.
A Shared Genshin And Honkai Collab Character May Be Difficult To Pull Off
One of the most difficult, perceivable problems with this concept is balancing the character between both games. While many of the menus and systems between Honkai Star Rail and Genshin Impact are similar, the gameplay differences may cause this theoretically shared character to feel too distant from either series. Additionally, it may be hard to implement a character like this into the story, especially if they’re non-canon.
Looking at the future of Genshin Impact 4.0, all banners in the foreseeable future are already booked. Releasing a unique character like this would most likely have to wait until after all the new characters in a Genshin or Honkai patch cycle are released. Although this seems like a disadvantage, it could take the benefit of a character lull as well. Otherwise, a shared guest character between Honkai and Genshin could be obtained through a special event rather than a banner.
In the end, although a scenario like this seems unlikely, it could forever alter the course of both series for the better. By providing a shared character between Genshin and Honkai Star Rail, the two HoYoverse titles could further blur the community shared between them. This could lead to more future collabs, shared events, and more. Plus, for fans, receiving a character like this would be a compelling experience. Until then, players will just have to enjoy both series as two separate games.
