Farewell, Traveler: Genshin Impact says goodbye to the PS4

This is not a drill, Travelers! Genshin Impact will soon be removed from the PlayStation 4 (PS4) and will no longer receive updates on the console. In an announcement from HoYoverse, the news sparked mixed reactions: while some players were upset, others welcomed the decision as a necessary step forward.

According to HoYoverse, Genshin Impact is leaving the PlayStation 4 due to "hardware performance and platform application size." Because of that, they will be discontinuing support and updates for Genshin Impact on PS4 for future versions. The PlayStation 5 version will not be affected in any way by this decision, so the players can keep enjoying the game on the console. This removal will be executed in three phases:

On Sept. 10, Genshin Impact will be officially removed from the PS4 Store. Accounts that never downloaded the game will no longer be able to search for it. The other who have downloaded the game will still be able to re-download it at any time via [Store > Library], even if the game is deleted from the device. Until the support ends, these players will get updates and can make purchases in-game.

From Feb. 25, 2026, all in-game purchases for Genshin Impact on PS4 will be removed from both the PlayStation Store and the in-game shop. Before Genshin Impact's update discontinuation on PS4, any items purchased from the PlayStation Store but not yet claimed in-game can still be obtained by logging into Genshin Impact on PS4.

Any items purchased from the PlayStation Store but not yet claimed in-game can only be claimed by logging into Genshin Impact on PS5 after April 8, 2026. Travelers will no longer be able to log in to the game on PS4. Installations of the game on PS4 will stop receiving update patches.

Reactions to the news have been mixed. While some players see it as a natural step forward and a reason to finally upgrade, others are understandably frustrated. Still, the overall response has been relatively calm. After all, the PS4 is now 12 years old, and many believe it's time for Genshin Impact to evolve without being limited by aging hardware. According to calendar calculations, Travelers might be able to play until version 6.4.

Since the PlayStation 5 was released five years ago, we can expect Genshin Impact to be part of the upcoming PlayStation 6. This is another reason why some players describe it as "an annoying cycle," where "it’s literally impossible to play new games nowadays unless you’re willing to spend hundreds on a console."

That's all for now. Stick around for more Genshin Impact news, guides, and updates on esports.gg.