Hoyoverse Games Never Exit Early Access | A Live Service Game Design Analysis

This is a game design discussion on the three major Hoyoverse titles, Genshin Impact, Honkai: Star Rail, and Zenless Zone Zero, and how their unending development affects them.

This essay also contains some footage from Honkai Impact 3rd, but it is not the focus of the essay.

Early access in the context of this essay is used as a framing device for how Live Service updates can make a game, in effect, seem like it never exits development.

I have played all three of these games for quite a long time. I played Genshin for 2 years, and still semi-actively play Honkai: Star Rail (I took a break near the end of 2.7), and have been playing Zenless Zone Zero actively since launch. I even used to play Honkai Impact 3rd for a time as well.

So please understand that this does not come from a place of hate. I just thought this would be interesting to analyze from a design perspective.

All Music is from Genshin Impact, Honkai: Star Rail, and Zenless Zone Zero.

Chapters:
0:00 Intro
5:14 The Illusion of Infinite Content
10:38 Power Creep and Power Scaling
16:22 Design for Engagement
17:08 Character Design
19:38 Design Space
24:27 Technical Debt
26:44 Infinite Story
28:23 Character Bloat
29:40 Conclusion

Official Media Sources:
Aventurine Character Trailer – “The Golden Touch” | Honkai: Star Rail
   • Aventurine Trailer — "The Golden Touch" | ...  
Character Trailer – “Mavuika: Blazing Heart” | Genshin Impact
   • Character Trailer - "Mavuika: Blazing Hear...  
Character Trailer – “Xilonen: Fervent Beats” | Genshin Impact
   • Character Trailer - "Xilonen: Fervent Beat...  
Collected Miscellany – “Chasca: Reins of Flight in Hand” | Genshin Impact
   • Collected Miscellany - "Chasca: Reins of F...  
Character Demo – “Navia: Unofficial Operation” | Genshin Impact
   • Character Demo - "Navia: Unofficial Operat...  
Cutscene Animation – “The Two Musketeers” | Genshin Impact
   • Cutscene Animation: "The Two Musketeers" |...  
Season 2 Preview PV “Though the Miasma of Memories and Evil” | Zenless Zone Zero
   • Season 2 Preview PV "Through the Miasma of...  
A Moment Among the Stars – “Non-Zero-Sum Game” | Honkai: Star Rail
   • A Moment Among the Stars — "Non-Zero-Sum G...  
Topaz & Numby Trailer – “Expert Tutorial” | Honkai: Star Rail
   • Topaz & Numby Trailer — "Expert Tutorial" ...  
"Star Rail LIVE 2025" Concert Full Recording | Honkai: Star Rail (this is where I got the new Honkai game teaser from)
   • "Star Rail LIVE 2025" Concert Full Recordi...  

Other Sources:
Take the Journey (Acoustic / Instrumental 10.30 Mix Loop) - Honkai: Star Rail:
   • Take the Journey (Acoustic / Instrumental ...  
All other sources are credited in the video itself, and all official media is watermarked.

The media in this video is used for purposes of critique, commentary, and analysis, and is protected as “Fair Use” under United States Copyright Law.