The project was delivered for the release of the major 5.0 update in Genshin Impact, with the goal of bringing players back and attracting new ones.
As part of the campaign, we built a VK Mini App styled after the game’s new region. The gameplay mechanics of three mini-games introduced the audience to the update’s unique selling points — new characters and their abilities, letting users experience them firsthand.
We integrated the API for setting branded emoji statuses and profile covers on VK, turning users’ personal pages into a source of viral traffic and reach.
We layered in tasks that boosted return rates and drove conversion into target actions. Completion was incentivized with tickets for a valuable prize draw. We racked up millions of impressions at zero cost and overdelivered on every conversion KPI.
Version 5.0 was meant to be the “region of eternal war,” so players were expecting a grim, hardcore experience. But the teaser content the developers showed came wrapped in a bright, cheerful package — as if it had been made for an entirely different, much younger audience. That sparked skepticism from the core community. The ad campaign had to get new players excited about the update and prompt lapsed players to return.
To immerse the audience in the new region’s narrative, we chose a platform with deep social functionality and the ability to build a gamified solution directly inside it, so we wouldn’t lose conversion at the very first — and most critical — stage of the funnel. In Russia, the only real options were Telegram’s mini apps and VK’s mini apps, but Telegram lacks genuine viral social mechanics, so we went with VKontakte.
We developed a VK Mini App wrapped in the visual style of Genshin Impact’s new region. Through the gameplay mechanics of the three mini-games, we showcased the update’s USPs — the audience immediately got to try out the new characters and their abilities. Each user had a limited number of gameplay attempts that refreshed daily, which drove return visits. Rewards for using those attempts gave us engagement and retention.
We integrated the API to allow users to set branded emoji statuses (pulling organic traffic into the app) and profile covers (for viral reach). We literally became the pioneers of using VKontakte’s branded profile cover mechanic in a brand campaign. It’s worth noting that this isn’t some paid commercial feature from VK — it’s available to any developer by default, just buried deep in the documentation.
We added both daily and permanent tasks. Some prompted target actions (reposts, visits to the brand website, etc.), while others granted extra gameplay attempts or unlocked new emoji statuses and covers. Certain tasks rewarded users with tickets for a valuable prize draw via a wheel of fortune.
Owned media became the cornerstone of promotion. The community core is vast and hyper-engaged — there’s a huge number of outlets, content creators, influencers, and themed channels that actively discuss the game and jump on every news hook. The official social media announcements alone were enough to ignite word of mouth, and the target audience got wind of the campaign almost instantly.
