We already had leaked about a new casual game mode coming in Genshin Impact but things have finally been officially announced and we finally have some conclusive leaks about what we can expect from Genshin Impact’s new TCG mode- Genius Invokation TCG. Players have long wanted more endgame content and something more casual than the Spiral Abyss and it looks like this is Genshin’s answer to that demand.
A couple of weeks ago the Genshin devs had said in an interview that they don’t plan on bringing any more combat-based content for endgame players which had noticeably left the player base dejected and even angry. This TCG game mode is for casual players but maybe this will also go on to satisfy the endgame players provided on its execution.
Genius Invokation TCG in Genshin Impact Version 3.3
This game mode is highly likely to be added in Version 3.3 and it’s been hinted at since the beginning of Sumeru where some NPCs had talked about a Card Game among the academics. We already also know Cyno likes playing TCG in his free time and such other tidbits.
According to the official announcement, there will be TCG cards of even popular NPCs like Liben or Ellin who we’ve been familiar with from the start. There will even be cards for weapons, playable characters, gadgets and even popular locations. Each of these cards will have its own effect or ability which can be used in the game mode.
Some of the officially revealed character cards are as follows:
The above show character cards of Ayaka, Diluc, Ningguang, Xinqiu and Collei- including a surprising Maguu Kenki card which we know to be a world boss. Some other card designs were also revealed as shown below:
As you can see even Oz and Guoba get a card. We even have leaks of other cards and their effects but since we know next to nothing how it will all work in practice, we’re not sure of the verity of these effects. We’re also not sure how these will come into play or how to obtain them. Even after the TCG game mode is released, we expect players to take a while to figure out some of the mechanics and combinations.
The above cards show elemental resonances and some character cards. Strangely enough they don’t necessarily reference their skills or bursts but their characters itself which is a refreshing detail.
These above cards showcase in-game dishes. While these cards may not replicate their exact effect within the game mode, their effects reflect the general nature of their respective in-game dishes.
The above game cards are of some in-game weapons. There are 3-star, 4-star and even 5-star weapon cards and according to their general descriptions, they can be used on or with characters of that weapon type.
These character cards are still a mystery to us. They seem like NPCs of their respective nations and they are wearing crowns or helms as depicted by the helm artifact pieces from their respective regions. Their effects seem reflect their respective artifact’s nature and element.
This last set of character cards showcase some NPCs, locations and gadgets. We can see characters like Ellin, Liben, Wagner, Timmy, Paimon and even Tubby from our Serenitea Pot.
As for now these descriptions and mechanics seem very complex and we can see it will take a while for players to get used to these and learn to play the new game mode before they really get into it. It will be difficult and complicated but as long as the execution of the game mode is done right, we can see this getting really popular and something Genshin can count on keeping players occupied long term.
According to Hoyoverse, Genius Invokation TCG will mainly be a PvE game where players can challenge other significant NPCs or even some playable characters. There will even be a PvP mode but this won’t get us any rewards even though friends can still play with each other for fun. There’s even a leak that says the Cat’s Tail Bar in Mondstadt will be opened up in Version 3.3 for players to play the game with characters from that region.
