Genshin Impact, the widely popular action RPG (role-playing game), witnessed a staggering exodus on social media, shedding over a million followers in the wake of discontent among Chinese fans regarding the Chinese New Year rewards.

In a recent 4.4 livestream, the game developers unveiled plans for the upcoming Lantern Rite Festival, a celebration tied to the Chinese New Year. The highlight was the announcement of three Intertwined Fates rewards. However, this revelation has triggered disappointment and frustration among the game's vast Chinese player base, who perceive the rewards as lackluster compared to those offered to players globally.

The discontent manifested swiftly, leading to a mass unfollowing spree on Genshin Impact's official Douyin account. In a single day, the follower count plummeted from 9.6 million to slightly over 8 million, a drastic loss that reverberated across the game's other social media platforms.

Notably, fans in China extended their discontent beyond Genshin Impact, unfollowing associated companies such as KFC, Hey Tea, and Pizza Hut, amplifying the repercussions of the backlash.

Adding to the turmoil, the gaming community accused HoYoverse, the game's developer, of resorting to dubious tactics. Allegations surfaced that the company purchased bots to artificially inflate the follower count on BiliBili, China's largest video-sharing platform. These 'Zombie' accounts, easily discernible by their usernames comprised of "bili" and random numbers, follow only one account: Genshin Impact.

As the Chinese fan base intensifies their boycott, HoYoverse has responded with an apology, promising swift compensation, and a reassessment of the rewards. However, uncertainty looms over whether similar measures will be extended to the global server.