Genshin Impact's chat filter bans words like 'Hong Kong,' 'Taiwan,' 'Hitler,' & 'Putin'
Whether due to Chinese regulations or other matters, there are a number of interesting terms banned in the chat filter on MiHoYo's Genshin Impact.
The world is in quite a state right now as the matters of censorship and corporate ownership clash, especially when it comes to China. As the newest and most head-turning game on the block, Genshin Impact has gotten a lot of love for its mix of free-flowing adventure, striking characters, and slight gambling gacha game element. That said, as a game from developers on the Chinese mainland, Genshin Impact finds itself subject to the rules of the nation from which it came, which is probably why people discovered that words like “Hong Kong” and “Taiwan” are banned.
Players made the discovery about the unfortunate entries in Genshin Impact’s in-game chat filter pretty recently, as reported recently by PC Gamer. “Hong Kong,” “Falun Gong,” and “Taiwan” raised eyebrows the most, but there are a number of other words banned as well. Among them are “Hitler,” “Stalin,” “Putin,” and, interestingly enough, the word “words.” That last one may be an issue of an auto-compiled list or a bug somewhere, and topics like Hitler and Putin play a large part in toxicity and racism, but Hong Kong and Taiwan seem pretty clearly in line with censorship due to government regulations as gaming analyst Daniel Ahmad (@ZhugeEX) points out.
Chinese developed games have to comply with a ton of content and in game censorship rules because of these laws and regulations
— Daniel Ahmad (@ZhugeEX) October 6, 2020
There is a list of banned words that cannot be used in game / via chat functions
Foreign developers also need to comply when publishing games in China
As a Chinese mainland company, MiHoYo’s hands may be tied on this one as it attempts to adhere to regulations set in place by a government that heavily censors against anything that may be seen as a threat to “Chinese national unity.” That said, it’s also worth noting that as Genshin Impact adheres to Chinese law to exist in the first place, it’s popularity may very well find it at the center of ongoing controversies regarding the country and its economic, political, and military interactions.
Genshin Impact continues to wow audiences as it is (we had ourselves a fun time with it on Indie-licious) and we’ve even got a few of our own guides if you’re looking to figure out any snags you’re running into in the game. Stay tuned for further updates as we watch for news and information from MiHoYo and Genshin Impact.
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replyTJ Denzer posted a new article, Genshin Impact's chat filter bans words like 'Hong Kong,' 'Taiwan,' 'Hitler,' & 'Putin'
