On Oct. 28, the Boston Symphony Hall was buzzing with Genshin Impact fans. They got to enjoy a marathon of tunes all live. It was the first miHoYo concert of the year in the United States, adding a bit of a gaming spin to the Halloween vibe.
Sadly, midterms and deadlines kept me from snagging a ticket — but my buddy Michelle ended up being my eyes and ears, sending me pics and raving about the orchestra’s killer performance through texts that kept us up till dawn.
When the chat died down, I hit the web, hunting for any recording of the “Genshin Concert 2023.” The closest I got to the real deal was a Shanghai gig from October. Wrapped up in a blanket, headphones cranked — I let myself pretend I was right there in the crowd.
Big shoutout to HOYO-MiX for backing Genshin Impact with their musical genius. I’m that guy who’s always on the lookout for epic game soundtracks and character themes to add to my collection. Sure, music isn’t everything in games, but the right tunes stick with you.
My interest all started back in 2018 with miHoYo. They dropped this animated short for Honkai Impact 3rd, “Last Lesson,” with a track called “Nightglow,” which showcased 3D animation and music fitting together like puzzle pieces.
I watched it one night, totally unprepared, and man, it hit me hard. Couldn’t stop the tears or fall asleep. With my eyes shut, “Nightglow” played on loop in my head, along with flashes from the short.
It’s about this teacher who goes all out to save a student who’s lost their way, even if it means trading her life for their future. That got me Googling “Nightglow,” which turns out to be as faint as a candle from a hundred meters away. That’s when the waterworks really started. A great teacher, lighting the way with just a flicker of candlelight — it gets you right in the feels.
However, that song was just the beginning of my dive into game music. I started to hunt down other original soundtracks from Honkai Impact, wondering, “Can they surprise me even more?”
Over the next year, my playlist swelled by 50 unique tracks, all composed by HOYO-MiX. To this day, I’m still looping them. And I’m not kidding, every time I hit karaoke with friends, at least one of those tunes is on my must-sing list.
Two years on, and Genshin Impact hit me with a double whammy. With its sprawling freedom and adventure, the game lets players roam the lands of Teyvat, each corner brimming with its own cultural vibes: Monstat with its Germanic essence, Liyue channeling Chinese vibes, Inazuma steeped in Japanese culture and Sumeru and Fontaine inspired by Indo-Persian culture.
It’s a rare feat for a game company to throw various different worldviews from diverse cultures into the mix and blend them smoothly into one game. miHoYo, you’ve outdone yourselves — this was a big leap from the old-school mobile game style of Honkai Impact where you’d have to exit to the main menu to switch up the plot or scene to get to the music you wanted. Genshin’s open-world mode was a game-changer for me.
If music’s your thing, you don’t need to be a hardcore player grinding through stories to unlock new scenes anymore. Just by standing at the Liyue harbor with your character, you’re treated to the beautiful duet of piano and Chinese guzheng.
With the release of Genshin Impact globally on Sept. 28, 2020, this wave of anime-style gaming finally hit the U.S., planting Hoyoverse’s lore deep within North America, sprouting and flourishing post-pandemic with a nationwide symphony tour.
Well, after all that, I just hope miHoYo and their games, along with their music, keep getting better and better. But yeah, I still missed out on those tickets — such is the unpredictable twist of fate, right?
Maybe you, reading this, can relate. But no worries, there’s always next year. They say when one door closes, another opens. Just like I once thought nothing could top “Nightglow” from miHoYo — yet they kept the surprises coming. The key is to explore, to take action and to chase what you love with everything you’ve got. Speaking of which, I’m off to book a January 2024 ticket to Chicago — better early than sorry.
By the way, if you’ve gotten even a tiny bit curious about miHoYo after reading this, then that’s awesome. The good news is it’s never too late to join in. Considering the game is still rolling out updates, there will be plenty of fresh tunes added to dazzle us at next year’s concerts.Of course, I’ve also provided a playlist for new miHoYo enthusiasts, created through a fan discussion and vote. The playlist itself is just a drop in the ocean, but if you’re just getting started with HoYoverse, I suggest you begin there!
