Tower of Fantasy has been compared to Genshin Impact since before it launched, but Hotta Studio is determined to prove the anime RPG has a unique identity
Tower of Fantasy continues to skyrocket in popularity despite its similarity to Genshin Impact, making it arguably one of the best RPG games of 2022. Many remain unconvinced, however, continuing to refer to the game as simply a clone of HoYoverse’s iconic title – but the devs have fired back.
Set in a neo-dystopian future shrouded in mystery, Hotta Studio’s Tower of Fantasy has grown exponentially since its western debut. In response, the devs are releasing a huge new content update only a few weeks post-launch, adding the desert region of Vera to the game’s ever-expanding universe.
Despite its popularity, many remain convinced that Tower of Fantasy is nothing more than a “clone” of HoYoverse’s Genshin Impact, the anime title that set the benchmark for animated open-world games.
Speaking to Deniz Kirca (head of growth at Tencent) and Dmitry Lazarev (senior marketing manager, EMEA) at Gamescom 2022, the pair outlined just how unique Tower of Fantasy is in comparison to Genshin.
When I asked how Tower of Fantasy will set about carving its own destiny, Kirca replies “Tower of Fantasy is all the one story; it’s one setting. So, in the Vera expansion, Tower of Fantasy is still a sci-fi, fantasy, cyberpunk story, but it explores the idea of an irradiated desert where the Mirror City is humanity’s only sanctuary.
“It’s the same world, but our goal is to evolve, so there will be more and more content to come.”
Lazarev builds upon this, stating “it’s somewhat clear from the audience’s view that they have specific expectations for an open world anime game, but we want to focus on what new things Tower of Fantasy is bringing to the genre – what is going to make our fans see a difference in this game as opposed to others?
“I would say the rich character customization, the MMO-based mechanics, and the crafting system are all unique to ToF,” he continues. “That’s how we believe Tower of Fantasy is going to develop its own identity.”
Kirca does highlight that “for Tower of Fantasy we’re still laying the foundations of the game – it has only been out for 14 days!” Going on to state “I believe it will take some more time for us to present what Tower of Fantasy stands for and where it’s going. So, until then, we just want to collect player feedback to move forward in the best possible way.”
If you’re looking to check out Hotta Studio’s cyberpunk open-world adventure, be sure to check out our Tower of Fantasy codes to pick up some free loot, as well as our rundown of all of the Tower of Fantasy characters – including Crow, the spunky silver-haired hero in our main image.