MiHoYo, the developer responsible for anime-style action role-playing game (RPG) Genshin Impact, has released a statement after one of its voice actors was accused of sexual abuse.
- READ MORE: ‘Genshin Impact’ Review: It Does More Than Jump On The ‘Breath Of The Wild’ Bandwagon
English voice actor Elliot Gindi, who voices the character Tighnari, has been accused of grooming underage fans by moderators on his Twitch and Discord server, who posted chat logs on Twitter.
In a 21-page Google Doc, one of the moderators highlighted screenshots showing victims reporting that Gindi had asked them for inappropriate photos, videos and other sexual content and made comments transphobic towards people.
Gindi has since admitted the screenshots were real, writing in an apology post: “Yes, I threatened to kill myself if this came out. I didn’t realize how bad it was. I’m sorry .”
He also added, “What’s not true: Knowingly doing something with someone underage Not respecting someone’s pronoun changes. Not ‘waiting’ for a 15-year-old to be 18 years. Reject it outright”.
MiHoYo, developer of Genshin Impact, told GamesRadar+: “We are deeply sorry for the harm caused to our fans, players, community and everyone else involved. Our internal teams and external partners, including our voice studio , have worked together to find an urgent solution, and we will keep you updated on the progress.
Following the allegations, other voice actors in the game have shown their support for the victims, including Aether voice actor Zach Aguilar.
Aguilar said he was “disappointed and angry” and that he had “deleted the stream with Elliot and will no longer be associated with him. I refuse to give someone like that a platform in any way whatever. To use his power over fans in this way is disgusting.” and ashamed. My thoughts are with the victims of this situation.”
In their Genshin Impact review, NME states, “As a recently released free-to-play game, it’s hard to say how Genshin Impact’s monetization will hit your wallet. But right from its very first chapter, you can enjoy a game open fantasy – a bigger and more rewarding world adventure than most full-price games.”
“With its charming cast of characters, delightfully inspired combat, and more content updates arriving regularly, there’s no reason not to return to the wonderful world of Teyvat.”