In the relentless pursuit of graphical fidelity and expansive gameplay, the world of live-service gaming rarely stands still. Developers must constantly innovate and adapt to the capabilities of new hardware, and sometimes, this natural progression means waving goodbye to older platforms. Such is the unfolding narrative for HoYoverse (formerly MiHoYo), the renowned studio behind the global phenomenon Genshin Impact, which has officially announced the impending cessation of support for its beloved open-world RPG on the PlayStation 4 console.
The Ticking Clock: Why PS4`s Adventure Ends
The decision to discontinue support for Genshin Impact on PS4 is rooted in a fundamental challenge: the inherent limitations of aging hardware. HoYoverse has explicitly pointed to “limitations related to hardware performance and platform application size” as the principal reasons. As Genshin Impact continues to evolve, introducing vast new regions, highly detailed character models, and increasingly intricate gameplay mechanics, the demands placed upon a console originally launched over a decade ago become increasingly difficult to accommodate. It is a testament to the game`s ambition that it has outgrown its earliest console home.
For the dedicated Travelers still journeying across Teyvat on their venerable machines, the transition will be phased but absolute. Effective September 10 of this year, Genshin Impact will be removed from the PlayStation Network, preventing new downloads. However, existing players who have previously acquired the game will retain the ability to re-download it. A more significant milestone arrives on February 25, 2026, when all in-game purchases for the PS4 edition will no longer be available via the PlayStation Store. The final curtain call is scheduled for April 8, 2026, after which PS4 players will definitively lose the ability to log into the game. HoYoverse has assured its community that reminders of this change will be issued throughout the year, offering a prolonged farewell to a platform that helped introduce Teyvat to countless players. One might almost hear the faint, melancholic strains of a forgotten soundtrack as the console begins its long, inevitable goodbye.
Mobile`s Demands: A Rising Tide for Handheld Teyvat
Curiously, the narrative of increasing hardware demands isn`t exclusive to dedicated gaming consoles. Even the mobile versions of Genshin Impact are asserting their need for more powerful devices. As game fidelity and complexity continue their upward trajectory, so too do the computational requirements for smartphones and tablets. It appears that even for gaming on the go, a true wanderer in Teyvat will need a robust pocket-sized companion, a subtle but clear indicator of the graphical ambition that defines even the handheld iteration of this expansive world.
Updated System Requirements: Keeping Up with Teyvat
To ensure a consistent and evolving experience across its diverse player base, HoYoverse has outlined revised minimum and recommended specifications for both Android and iOS devices:
Genshin Impact: Updated Minimum and Recommended Android Requirements
- ARMv8-A 64-bit architecture
- Non-PowerVR GPU
- SoC: Snapdragon 660 (Adreno 610) or Helio G88 (Snapdragon 855 or Dimensity 1000 or Kirin 980 and above recommended)
- RAM: 4GB (6GB or more recommended)
- Operating System: Android 10.0 and above (Android 12.0 and above recommended)
Genshin Impact: Updated Minimum and Recommended iOS Requirements
- Supported iOS devices: iPhone 8 Plus or iPhone X, iPad mini (5th generation) or iPad Air (3rd generation) or iPad (8th generation) and later models (iPhone 12 series or iPad (9th generation) and later models recommended)
- iPhone devices with: Apple A11 or later
- iPad devices with: Apple A12 or above
- RAM: 3GB (4GB or more recommended)
- Operating System: iOS 13.0 and above
The Broader Landscape: A Shift in the Gaming Ecosystem
The sunsetting of PS4 support for Genshin Impact is not an isolated incident; rather, it reflects a broader, ongoing trend within the interactive entertainment industry. As new console generations solidify their market presence, developers naturally pivot their resources and optimization efforts towards platforms that offer superior graphical fidelity, increased processing power, and the potential for richer, more immersive player experiences. Data from Sony itself substantiates this shift, revealing that monthly active users on the PlayStation 5 have recently surpassed those on the PS4. With a formidable combined player base of 124 million users across both consoles as of March 31, coupled with increasing expenditures on peripherals, services, and digital content on PlayStation platforms, the strategic move to concentrate on more capable hardware is a logical, albeit poignant, step for the developer.
While the PS4 chapter for Genshin Impact draws to a close, the grand journey for Travelers continues unimpeded on more contemporary systems. The game remains robustly supported on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. HoYoverse, a studio with a clear and ambitious vision for expansive, perpetually evolving virtual worlds, is also heavily invested in a portfolio of other successful live-service titles, including the popular Honkai: Star Rail and the highly anticipated Zenless Zone Zero. This demonstrates a consistent commitment to pushing both technical and narrative boundaries across their ecosystem. The evolution of Genshin Impact is, therefore, part of a larger, forward-looking strategy, designed to ensure that Teyvat remains a vibrant, cutting-edge world for many years to come—just not on that specific console anymore.
Callum Darby