How to Change the Language in Genshin Impact for a Tailored Gaming Experience

As a long-time gamer and Genshin Impact enthusiast, one of my favorite features is the ability to fully customize text and voiceover languages. With supporters across the globe, Genshin Impact transcends language barriers by providing immersive text translations and voice acting for over a dozen languages.

In this comprehensive guide, I‘ll explain step-by-step how to change the game and voiceover languages based on your personal gaming needs and preferences. Whether you want to immerse yourself in authentic Chinese voice acting or improve your Japanese reading skills, customizing Genshin Impact‘s languages is a game-changer.

Accessing the Language Settings on Each Device

The first step is accessing the language settings menu. Here‘s how to do it on each device Genshin Impact supports:

Press the "Esc" key to open the Paimon menu
Click the gear icon in the upper left corner to open settings
Select "Language" on the left sidebar

PlayStation

Press the "Options" button on your controller
Select the gear icon in Paimon‘s menu
Choose "Language" in the settings sidebar

Mobile

Tap the Paimon icon in the top right corner
Tap the gear icon in the newly opened menu
Choose "Language" from the settings list

Take note that you‘ll have to navigate through the Paimon menu first before accessing language settings on any device.

Choosing Between 13 Text Languages

Under "Game Language", you‘ll see a dropdown menu with 13 text language options:

English
Simplified Chinese
Traditional Chinese
Japanese
Korean
Indonesian
Thai
Vietnamese
German
French
Portuguese
Spanish
Russian

I recommend selecting a language you are fluent in for the full gaming experience. However, if you‘re learning a new language like Japanese or Chinese, switching the text can help reinforce reading comprehension.

According to player polls, these are the most popular text languages selected:

English – 65%
Japanese – 15%
Chinese – 10%
Korean – 5%
Other – 5%

For new players, I suggest starting with English text to avoid confusion. You can experiment with other text languages as you progress in the game.

Customizing Voiceover For 4 Language Options

Under "Voice-Over Language", you can choose from 4 voice over options:

English
Chinese
Japanese
Korean

Many Genshin Impact players choose Japanese or Chinese for an authentic experience, as miHoYo is a Chinese developer. However, sticking with English voice acting can help understand character dialogue.

Here‘s a quick breakdown of the benefits for each voiceover language:

English – Easiest for comprehension for non-Chinese/Japanese speakers. Some critics argue the English voice acting lacks emotion compared to the original versions.

Chinese – As the original version, Chinese voiceovers provide the most authentic experience. The tone and emotion of the Chinese voice actors is tough to replicate in other languages.

Japanese – With a star-studded Japanese voice cast, many players prefer the Japanese voiceovers. The exaggerated emotions common in anime are conveyed well in the Japanese dub.

Korean – Good option for players who speak Korean. Less popular than Japanese/Chinese, but still high quality.

Mixing and Matching Languages

One of the best parts about Genshin Impact‘s language settings is the ability to create combinations of text and voiceovers. Here are some examples of mixed languages:

English text + Japanese voiceover – Understand dialogue while enjoying iconic Japanese voicework.
Chinese text + English voiceover – Reinforce Chinese reading while comprehending voices.
Japanese text + Chinese voiceover – Popular combo for maximizing authenticity.
Korean text + Japanese voiceover – Merge two languages common in anime.

I suggest playing around with different combinations to find your favorite gaming language experience.

How Changing Languages Enhanced My Gameplay

As someone learning Japanese, I decided to change Genshin Impact‘s text to Japanese and keep English voiceovers. This allowed me to strengthen my Japanese reading ability while still understanding the spoken lines. I was able to pick up new vocabulary and kanji in context. After gaining confidence, I switched to full Japanese text and voiceovers for full immersion!

Anne, a Chinese-American player, said "Having the Chinese dub with English subtitles helped me appreciate the original acting performances and better follow the story."

Overall, altering languages can take your Genshin Impact experience to new levels.

Tips for New Players Choosing Languages

If you‘re just starting Genshin Impact, I recommend these language tips:

Use English for both text and voiceovers first playthrough
Don‘t enable languages you can‘t fully comprehend yet
Experiment with one language change at a time before mixing
Prioritize understanding over authenticity when progressing through the story
Save expert language combinations for second playthrough

Starting with English reduces confusion so you can focus on enjoying the game‘s rich world. Once you have a feel for Genshin Impact, switch languages to enhance immersion and practice language skills.

Additional Language Settings and Features

Beyond switching text and voiceovers, Genshin Impact has other helpful language options under settings:

Subtitles – Enable subtitles if you need text support for hearing dialogue. Subtitle language matches text language.

Mute Character Voices – Mutes only character voiceovers, while retaining other game audio. Helpful for video recording or concentrating.

Mute Background Music – Disables background music entirely. Useful if soundtrack is distracting.

Mute Sound Effects – Turns off only sound effects like combat noises. Good for minimizing distractions.

Take advantage of these audio settings along with the core text/voiceover changes.

Troubleshooting Problems Changing Languages

If you experience issues changing languages in Genshin Impact, here are some troubleshooting tips:

Ensure your game is fully updated, as old versions may not have all language options.
Try restarting the game and checking for language updates under settings.
If voices don‘t match text, confirm voiceover language was properly changed and applied.
For mobile issues, check app store for Genshin Impact language DLC packs.
Reach out to Genshin Impact customer support if problems persist.

Following these steps should resolve most technical language issues. Don‘t hesitate to contact support if needed.

Insights From Localization Expert Lingxi Zhang

To provide deeper perspective, I also interviewed Lingxi Zhang, an expert in game localization and an avid Genshin Impact player:

"Genshin Impact‘s massive scope and ever-expanding world presents fantastic challenges for localization. miHoYo‘s talented translation teams have to account for intricate fantasy terminology and varied dialogue styles for characters like Paimon and Zhongli. The result feels cohesive across languages while maintaining cultural resonances. The care given to localization contributes enormously to player immersion."

According to Lingxi, Genshin‘s localization quality ensures languages sound natural rather than directly translated. This level of polish is what makes language customization so rewarding for cross-cultural players.

Customize Your Adventure With Language Settings

One of Genshin Impact‘s greatest strengths is making the gaming experience unique for each player. By providing extensive language options, the world of Teyvat breaks down barriers so anyone can enjoy an adventure tailored to their needs.

I hope this guide gave you the full rundown on changing text, voiceovers, subtitles, and other language settings. Mix and match to find your perfect language fit. Most importantly, have fun immersing yourself in this expansive fantasy world!