LilyPichu Reveals The Harsh Truth About Her Genshin Impact Earnings

Gacha games, or really any title that offers in-game purchases, can be a dangerous and slippery slope. Sure, it's easy to spend a dollar here or five there, but often these titles are designed to make that initial purchase the first of many, incentivizing continued spending of real money consistently or in short bursts. Plenty in the community heard about these mechanics alongside the disastrous "Diablo Immortal" launch, though the controversy didn't slow the title down. The now-infamous MMO came under fire soon after release for its pay-to-win structure and monetization that was somehow worse than fans thought it would be. 

"Diablo Immortal" isn't the only offender. There are countless entries that ensure their existence through microtransactions and gacha tactics — and "Genshin Impact" might be the most infamous of them all. The ARPG uses its Wish system to allow players to draw for new characters or items, but there are no guarantees. Players can spend hundreds or even thousands of dollars on Wishes only to find that they still haven't drawn the elusive character they're looking for. It's an easy rabbit hole to fall down when seeking a specific character or item, and it's a feature that even led streamer and voice actor LilyPichu to spend more on the game than she was paid to help voice it.

Earlier in 2022, LilyPichu did some voice work for "Genshin Impact," providing the English voice for the character Sayu. Of course, the streamer was paid for her work, but she soon found herself hooked on "Genshin Impact" and spending what she'd earned. LilyPichu was already a fan of the game, happily taking the role and adding a bit of herself to HoYoverse's world, but it wasn't until after her stint as Sayu that her flame really ignited for the ARPG.

Speaking on a recent episode of the Trash Taste podcast, LilyPichu fielded some questions about "Genshin Impact" and her relationship with gacha games in general. She discussed how she spent her time when "Genshin Impact" was the only thing on her mind. She said, "I went in this 'Genshin' rabbit hole. I was playing the game. I was spending money. I was rolling for five-star characters. I was watching 'Genshin' MMDs on YouTube — like it was bad." LilyPichu continued, "I've played lots of gacha games and I stop because I have a problem."

When asked about the most she'd spent in a gacha title, LilyPichu said, "Lets just say that I spent more than what they paid me to voice..." While it's tough to say how much that exactly adds up to, LilyPichu's hesitation and embarrassment reveals more than her answer actually does.