Genius Invokation TCG
Genius Invokation TCG, often abbreviated as GITCG, is a free-to-play digital collectible card game developed by miHoYo as a permanent game mode of Genshin Impact and released alongside the game's Version 3.3 update on December 7, 2022. The game features characters, events and location within Genshin Impact
Gameplay
In a game of Genius Invokation TCG, each player starts with a deck made up of 3 character cards and 30 action cards.A typical match begins with each player drawing 5 action cards from their draw pile, before selecting one of their character cards as the active character. Each round starts with players rolling 8 eight-sided "elemental dice", which are used as a form of currency for actions within the round. Players may opt to re-roll any number of dice once. Within each round, players may take "combat actions", which passes the turn to the opponent afterwards, and "fast actions", which keeps the turn on the player that completed the action. Players may end their actions on a round at any time; if they were the first to do so, their opponent gets to continue taking actions before they also end the round, but the player ending first gains priority on summon triggers and effect triggers on the end phase, and gets to start first on the following round. At the end of each round, each player draws two cards from their draw pile. The game ends when all 3 characters of a player are knocked out, or when 14 rounds have completed.
The core gameplay mechanics of Genshin Impact have been adapted to Genius Invokation TCG, with characters' skills based on their combat abilities within the main game, as well as a simplified elemental reaction system and energy system.
PvE">Player versus environment">PvE gameplay
Players can acquire action cards, as well as "Lucky Coins" by completing challenges in the main game's open world. Character cards can be unlocked via challenges that are accessible within the Cat's Tail tavern located in Mondstadt, where players can also play weekly NPC challenges and The Forge Realm's Temper to earn Lucky Coins, as well as purchase cards and cosmetics.Multiplayer
Genius Invokation TCG features two online queue modes: Co-op Matching, where no restrictions apply, and Arena of Champions, where players complete runs by winning 5 games with the same deck before accumulating 3 losses. Both queue modes require Player Level 4 to be unlocked.A player can also invite any other player inside their own co-op session to a match. Unlike in-game matchmaking, there are no restrictions to playing against others this way.
Sometimes, a third queue mode named Heated Battle Mode will be open for a limited time, featuring a modified ruleset. Just as with the regular ruleset, players can either enter a special matchmaking queue for the mode, or they can invite another player to compete against with the ruleset enabled within the time the mode is available.
In-game story
Within the world of Teyvat, Genius Invokation TCG was first mentioned by the merchant Liben in the Version 2.3 in-game event Marvelous Merchandise, in which he revealed he was delivering the game to the Yae Publishing House per a commission from an unnamed researcher from Sumeru. Fukumoto, a writer from Inazuma, was then tasked with writing the King of Invokations light novel series to promote the game, subsequently spreading it to other places in Teyvat.It was later revealed in the Version 3.7 event Duel! The Summoners' Summit! that the card game was originally created by childhood friends and Akademiya researchers Garvipidam and Gulab to pass time. Gulab eventually died from disease, leading to Garvipidam being traumatized and secluding himself until he came to terms with his friend's passing.
Development
Genius Invokation TCG was first announced in the announcement live stream for the Version 3.1 update of Genshin Impact on September 16, 2022, in which Michael, Genshin ImpactReception
In mid-November 2022, shortly before the release of Genius Invokation TCG, some players had already recreated the mode as a Tabletop Simulator mod, based on officially released information. Around the time the mode was launched, it attracted the attention of many Chinese TCG enthusiasts. Youxiputao editor Dai Homer reported that player activity significantly increased shortly after the release of the mode, with miHoYo's cloud gaming service Genshin Impact · Cloud in China experiencing longer player queues. The mode also gained popularity outside of China, trending on X in Japan upon release and prompting an unofficial Swiss format tournament series from the English-speaking community shortly after.The launch of Genius Invokation TCG received positive comments from critics, with many comparing them to other titles such as Hearthstone and Gwent: [The Witcher Card Game|Gwent].Editor Guo Su wrote on Youxiputao that Genius Invokation TCG would enrich the fan-created content scene of Genshin Impact, noting that Genius Invokation TCG has more randomness than other game modes, making it more engaging for live streaming and interaction with viewers. Dai Homer also pointed out that the mode's popularity helps more players understand the world of Teyvat itself, thanks to its references to the main game. Xunyang, an editor at GameRes, praised the launch of the mode as being well-handled, saying that the game had already laid the groundwork in early versions, "with sufficient foreshadowing".
Opinions on gameplay are mixed. Siliconera writer Stephanie Liu praised the balanced design and simplicity of the game, stating that the game "should remain fair" given that all players are given the same cards to work around. Kotaku editor Sisi Jiang also said that the game made them addicted to it and looked forward to miHoYo releasing more cards in the future. Youyanshe editor Yingrou Weixing believed that the game is "easy to get started, but difficult to master", that is, the card effects and rules of the game are easy to understand, but players have many choices in each round, which increases the difficulty of finding the optimal solution. He also pointed out that the design of no player-to-player battle-related rewards in the game downplays the importance of winning or losing, allowing players to try more decks. DoNews commentator Yu Cheng Judai criticized the game for its lack of balance, lack of mechanisms and cards to counter elemental reactions, and the tendency to produce fixed and powerful decks, which lacked diversity.
Critics also pointed out that Genius Invokation TCG can help improve the long-term experience of Genshin Impact. Stephanie Liu said that Genius Invokation TCG rekindled her excitement from the early days of the game. Gamersky editor Youming Xingkong said that the Genius Invokation TCG is an attempt to keep players engaged with Genshin Impact and solve the burnout that will occur in long-term operation games. Youxiputao