Genshin Impact studio's new RPG slammed as blatant Elden Ring rip-off

Genshin Impact developer HoYoverse stopped by yesterday’s Gamescom Opening Night Live to unveil its new co-op action RPG Nodusfall.

If you tuned into the reveal and thought, “That looks a lot like Elden Ring,” you’re not alone.

HoYoverse’s attempt to expand its horizons has seriously backfired with Nodusfall already being branded a rip-off of FromSoftware’s acclaimed GOTY winner.

It goes without saying that FromSoftware doesn’t have any sort of ownership over the soulslike genre, despite being the brainchild behind it.

Gritty, dark fantasy epics surface all of the time. The similarities between Nodusfall and Elden Ring, however, run much deeper than a general feel.

Several Nodusfall characters share designs with those present in Elden Ring

Elden Ring fans have taken to Twitter/X with comparisons showing some of the designs featured within Nodusfall that look worryingly similar to those found in Elden Ring.

“Genuinely no shame man,” wrote Twitter/X user virtualpigeons, comparing a winged individual within Nodusfall that looks a lot like Elden Ring’s popular boss Malenia.

“Nodusfall can’t be real bro, it’s literally Elden Ring and Dark Souls 3. I literally saw Godfrey and Nameless King,” added Vedansh_S1, later adding, “You can’t tell me that’s not Godfrey.”

Elsewhere in the trailer, an orange-hued close-up of a white-haired female character draws comparisons to a popular shot of Elden Ring’s Melina.

Of course, not everyone is bothered by the comparisons with some gamers admiring HoYoverse’s take on the genre despite this not being in their usual wheelhouse.

The controversy most definitely puts a stain on the game’s reveal, though, especially as this prompts concerns around the use of AI within Nodusfall’s development.

In May of this year, gamesindustry.biz reported that HoYoverse had spent a whopping $14.6 billion on investing in AI tools to be used in-house.

HoYoverse reportedly detailed plans to develop AI ecosystems, application architecture, training systems, and more - rather than relying on external AI models.

This was said to be integral to the studio’s game development with AI able to enhance NPC systems, content generation, and more.

While in Petit Planet, we know that HoYoverse is focusing on using AI-powered NPCs to generate responses to players, its use in Nodusfall is yet to be confirmed.

If you missed the reveal, Nodusfall’s synopsis reads as follows: “The divine offer no answer. Severed threads scatter across the heavens. Calamity descends in silence, and boundless wilds overtake the land. The Weaver sets forth in search of memories long concealed.”

Players will step into the shoes of a Weaver as they make their way across a perilous fantasy world, full of threats.

READ MORE: The Duskbloods isn't just 'Nintendo Bloodborne', it's better than Elden Ring: Nightreign

Strangely, it wasn’t the only game during Opening Night Live to draw worrying comparisons to Elden Ring.

Tides of Annihilation fell victim to the same fate.

“They’re reheating FromSoft’s nachos,” wrote firekeeper_eyes, showing one of Tides of Annihilation’s female characters who looks like a more scantily clad version of Dark Souls 3’s Fire Keeper.

The two are both platinum-haired with a silver mask and grey robes, standing in the same pose with their hands clasped in front.

To say that Elden Ring has had a massive impact on the games industry seems fairly obvious, but a few years on from its launch and with more and more titles finishing up their development cycles, it’s really putting into perspective just how influential the game was and continues to be.