What Inspires Retellings - A Study of the Game Genshin Impact

Abstract

This paper presents a study of retellings about Genshin Impact, exploring how the game’s narrative design inspires players to create fiction and art based on the game’s universe. A questionnaire sent to players rendered 1606 replies. Based on the findings in this corpus, eight players and creators of retellings were interviewed in-depth. Among our findings were that players were most inspired by the characters, detailed worldbuilding, and regional cultures in the game world. Their motivation to create was often spurred by the gaps and ambiguities in the detailed narrative design, wanting to “fill in the gaps” and, through their creation of fiction, further explore the intricacies of the game’s narrative elements.