Is Genshin Impact Free? Wishes, Odds and the Real Price of a 5-Star

What Teyvat gives you without spending a penny

Genshin Impact is an open-world action RPG from HoYoverse (published as COGNOSPHERE). On PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, iPhone and Android it costs nothing to download, and the main story, exploration, puzzles, events and co-op with up to four players are all included. You start with a handful of characters and receive more through story and events.

For a single-player-first game, that is a lot of free content. Many players explore for weeks before they ever look at the shop. The money question only becomes pressing when you want a specific character, and that is where Wishes come in.

The world itself is the main attraction: several large regions to explore, each with its own story arcs, puzzles and bosses, plus regular time-limited events. None of the exploration requires a paid item. In our editorial view, a player who never touches the shop still gets dozens of hours of adventure before the free route feels thin.

How Wishes work, in plain English

A Wish is a random draw. You spend an in-game item, and the game hands you a character or weapon of 3-, 4- or 5-star rarity. You cannot choose the result. Event Wishes (often called banners) feature particular characters for a limited time, which is why players feel pressure to pull before a banner ends.

HoYoverse has published how its featured-character rules work. Its February 2025 notice on the "Capturing Radiance" mechanic says:

• When you win a 5-star character on an event Wish, there is a consolidated 55% chance it is the promoted character.
• The base chance of triggering Capturing Radiance is 0.018%.
• If you miss the promoted character as described in the rules on three consecutive occasions, Capturing Radiance is guaranteed next time.

HoYoverse's Version 7.2 Event Wishes notice (2 Nov 2026) adds that the guarantee count for the two character event banners is shared. Full rates and guarantee counts are shown on each banner's details page in the game; read them before spending anything.

Genesis Crystals, Gnostic Hymn and what each costs

Genesis Crystals are the paid currency. On the UK App Store they run from £0.99 for 60 to £99.99 for 6,480, with the Gnostic Hymn battle-pass track at £9.99 (prices checked on 3 Nov 2026; console stores set their own). Crystals feed into the Wish system and other shop items.

There is no upper limit on spending, and because banners are random, there is no fixed price for any given character. That is the single most important thing to understand before topping up. If budgeting matters, decide on a monthly cap first and use your platform's spending controls to enforce it.

Setting a Wish budget before the first banner tempts you

Random draws are the part of Genshin Impact most likely to cost more than expected, because the price of any given character is not fixed. A few editorial suggestions if you, or someone in your household, plans to spend:

• Decide the monthly limit first. Set it before a new banner appears, not while one is counting down.
• Use platform controls. PlayStation, Xbox, iOS and Android all let you cap spending or require approval for purchases.
• Read the banner details. Check the guarantee rules and the 55% featured-character rule before your first draw.
• Remember the guarantee is a ceiling, not a target. Spending to reach it can add up to far more than a full-price game.

Many players never spend at all and still finish the story. If you do spend, a fixed budget turns an open-ended shop into something closer to a known cost.

Do paying players get ahead?

Genshin has no competitive ranked mode where one player beats another, so it is not pay-to-win in the usual sense. But spending does change what you can do. More draws mean more characters to build teams with and duplicate copies that unlock extra abilities, which makes the hardest challenge content easier.

In our editorial view, the free route can clear the story and most events comfortably. Paying buys variety, convenience and an easier time at the top end. We score it 3 out of 5 for that reason: not a wall, but a real tilt.

PEGI 16 and the 2026 shake-up of paid random items

PEGI's database now lists Genshin Impact at PEGI 16, with descriptors for Violence and Paid random items. The violence itself is non-realistic and fantasy-styled; the higher number is driven by the paid draws.

That reflects PEGI's new approach. In June 2026 PEGI introduced criteria that assess in-game purchases, paid random items, communication features and elements that push players to keep playing. From October 2026 PEGI began updating a selection of existing digital-only games rated 3, 7 or 12 that contain paid random items to PEGI 16, across all storefronts that use PEGI ratings. Those updates take time, so you may still see older ratings in some places.

In the UK, loot boxes are not regulated as gambling. The government chose an industry-led approach in 2023, under which paid loot boxes should not be available to under-18s without a parent's permission, alongside spending controls and published odds.

Daily limits, routines and the levelling grind

Once the story is done, Genshin's long game is character building: levelling characters, weapons and gear through repeat runs of domains and bosses. Rewards from these activities are limited each day, which spreads progress over weeks rather than hours.

Daily commissions and events add a check-in rhythm that some players enjoy and others find nagging. The good news for free players is that the limit applies to everyone, so spending cannot fully bypass it, and the story never demands a top-tier team.

Co-op, cross-save and playing on console

Genshin supports co-op for up to four players and cross-play across Xbox, PlayStation, PC, Android and iOS, with cross-progression on HoYoverse accounts. On Xbox, Microsoft's own listing states that no Game Pass subscription is needed for co-op; Game Pass Ultimate holders receive optional in-game bundles instead. On PS5 the UK listing shows the game as free with online play required.