For many players, Genshin Impact wasn’t just a game — it became a routine, a comfort space, a world we lived in almost every day. If you were there during the early days of Mondstadt’s freedom, Liyue’s contract drama, or the anxiety of entering Inazuma for the first time, congratulations — you are officially an OG Genshin player.

Now it’s 2025. New regions, new characters, new metas, new events. And yet many veterans ask themselves:

“Why does Genshin feel different now?”

This article explores exactly that — what long-time players feel today, why many still love the game, why some feel burnout, and what they wish Hoyoverse would do next.

1. The Veteran Experience: A Different Kind of Player

Veterans aren’t like new players.
New players feel excitement in everything — unlocking the Statue, entering a domain for the first time, pulling their first 5-star.

Veterans?
We’ve:

• Pulled dozens of 5-stars
• Maxed multiple characters
• Cleared Abyss hundreds of times
• Collected thousands of artifacts
• Finished every story quest, region, and Archon arc so far

We’ve seen the peak of excitement and the slow dips.

So the emotions that long-time players feel now are complex — not all negative, not all positive, just… honest.

2. What Still Keeps OG Players Hooked

Let’s be real — if Genshin truly had “nothing left,” veterans wouldn’t still log in. Something still hooks us.

⭐ 2.1 The Story & Worldbuilding Keep Growing

Veterans still love:

• The depth of regional lore
• The emotional Archon quests
• Major story twists
• Memorable characters like Zhongli, Scaramouche, Furina, Clorinde

Even after 5 years, Genshin’s world feels alive. Each new region brings culture, music, mysteries, and puzzles that remind us why the game blew up.

⭐ 2.2 Collecting & Building Characters

Even OG players love:

• Testing new characters
• Meta shifts
• Finding “the perfect artifact”
• Optimizing teams

Genshin’s build system is addictive — especially for long-term players who enjoy numbers, synergies, and team theory.

⭐ 2.3 The Nostalgia

Veteran joy isn’t always from new stuff — it’s from remembering:

• The day we pulled our first 5-star
• The shock of entering Dragonspine
• The Inazuma launch madness
• The Raiden Shogun terror in Abyss
• The Kazuha banner wait war

These memories keep players emotionally attached.

3. What Makes OG Players Frustrated in 2025

But being a veteran isn’t all fun — long-time players also feel fatigue, stagnation, and pressure.

😩 3.1 Repetition & Lack of Gameplay Innovation

Many veterans feel Genshin’s gameplay is still:

• Same domain structure
• Same artifact RNG
• Same Spiral Abyss loop
• Same open-world patterns

After 5 years, the systems feel too familiar. Players want something bold — like new combat mechanics, deeper co-op, or new types of challenges.

😩 3.2 End-Game Starvation

Let’s be honest:
Genshin has no meaningful end-game for veterans.

Abyss resets twice a month and feels like homework.
Events are fun but shallow.
New regions are great… but run out in 3–4 days.

Veterans need:

• Long-term challenges
• Build-testing modes
• Replayable dungeon systems
• End-game boss cycles
• Leaderboards or score systems
• Co-op difficulty scaling

Anything that rewards years of building.

😩 3.3 Gacha Fatigue

Even for players who aren’t big spenders, the cycle of:
new banner → FOMO → must pull → build → repeat
gets exhausting.

Every patch introduces:

• 1–2 new 5-stars
• 1–2 new 4-stars
• New weapons
• New resources

Veterans feel pressure to stay “meta relevant,” especially in the community.

😩 3.4 Content Pacing

OG players finish content fast.
Hoyoverse designs patches mostly for new players or casuals, not for people with 200+ hours per region.

So many veterans say:

“I log in, play 20 mins, and I’m done.”

4. How Genshin Has Changed for Veterans (Good & Bad)

✔️ 4.1 The Good Changes

Some improvements veterans appreciate:

• Better QoL updates (sorting, claim all, artifact strongbox improvements)
• More generous primogems in events
• Better character kit diversity
• More cinematic storytelling

❌ 4.2 The Bad Changes

Some changes didn’t age well:

• Resin system still outdated
• No true end-game
• Too many limited characters
• Too many required materials
• Combat scaling still favors new OP units

Veterans feel the game rewards new players more than the loyal long-time ones.

5. What OG Players Want From Genshin Now

Based on community discussions, these are the biggest “veteran wishlist” items:

1. A Real End-Game Mode

Not Abyss. Something new:

• Roguelike dungeon
• Weekly challenge tower
• Endless mode
• Open-world bosses scaling

2. More Co-Op Meaningfulness

Right now co-op = kill things faster.

Veterans want:

• Team roles
• Co-op puzzles
• Co-op boss mechanics
• Special co-op domains

3. More Rewarding Progression

Playing for 5 years should feel special.
Ideas vets want:

• Veteran-exclusive titles
• Better pull pity for long-term players
• Legacy reward track
• Free skin per region completion

4. Bold Gameplay Upgrades

Things like:

• New element (much requested)
• New weapon types (whip, pistol, dual blade)
• New combat mechanics (parry, dodge types)

Veterans crave innovation.

5. More Freedom & Exploration Depth

Things players want:

• Housing improvements
• Mounts or faster travel
• More dynamic enemy AI
• More world events

6. Why Many Veterans Still Stay

Despite frustrations, OG players stay because:

❤️ The characters feel like family

People have emotional attachment to:

• Diluc
• Venti
• Zhongli
• Raiden
• Kazuha
• Ayaka
• Nahida
• Neuvillette
• Furina

These characters mean something to the players.

❤️ The game is a comfort zone

Genshin is calming.
The music, the scenery, the routine — it’s peaceful.

❤️ The world keeps expanding

Even if gameplay stagnates, the story keeps growing.
Veterans who invested 5 years want to see the ending.

7. Should Veterans Quit or Keep Playing? Honest Advice

If you still enjoy the story, characters, and exploration…

→ Keep playing at your own pace.
Don’t chase meta. Don’t chase every banner.

If you feel forced or exhausted…

→ Take a break.
Log in once every few days.
Come back when a region or character excites you.

If the game feels empty…

→ Maybe shift to a lighter playstyle.
Use Genshin as a chill game, not a daily grind.

Final Thoughts: A Veteran’s Relationship With Genshin Is Complicated

Genshin Impact in 2025 is a different game than in 2020.
Not worse. Not better. Just different.

Veterans feel:

• pride
• nostalgia
• boredom
• attachment
• frustration
• comfort

All at once.

And that’s okay — because staying with a game for 5 years is like any long relationship.

Sometimes it’s magical.
Sometimes it’s tiring.
But it mattered — and that’s why we still talk about it.