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Senate bill 686 (also known as the RESTRICT Act) has gotten many people wondering if Genshin Impact will be banned in the US. It is worth noting that this popular multiplayer game is not currently illegal in the United States. Nonetheless, several TikTok videos have spread the news that this popular title will cease to become playable in the near future.
If one were to read Senate bill 686 on the official Congress website, they should see that the purpose of the new law is:
"To authorize the Secretary of Commerce to review and prohibit certain transactions between persons in the United States and foreign adversaries, and for other purposes."
Genshin Impact would technically be "foreign" in this instance. TikTok is the main topic in the news for this subject, but both that platform and Genshin Impact have ties to China.
How are Genshin Impact fans reacting to news of a potential ban due to Senate bill 686?
It is vital to mention that Senate bill 686 never explicitly says "Genshin Impact" by name. Still, the game has ties to the Chinese government, which is why many players assume that the title will be banned soon. Senator Mark Warner — who introduced this bill — has stated:
"I think the White House is very in favor of this bill."
This new bill's full name is "Restricting the Emergence of Security Threats that Risk Information and Communications Technology Act." It's abbreviated to the RESTRICT Act if one takes the first letter of each capital word before "Act."
Many Genshin Impact fans were surprised by the news. Here is a reason why some people fear the worst, as stated verbatim in Senate bill 686:
"...software designed or used primarily for connecting with and communicating via the internet that is in use by greater than 1,000,000 persons in the United States at any point during the year period preceding the date on which the covered transaction is referred to the Secretary for review or the Secretary initiates review of the covered transaction, including—"
Beneath this passage are some letters and what's included in this section. Under C) is "gaming applications." That means a secretary could review games.
Some passionate gamers even made video essays on the subject. The above footage is nearly an hour long and focuses on the potential ramifications of such a ban on Chinese games as a whole. A lot of it is based on theoretical situations, yet some censorship could logically happen if Senate Bill 686 passes.
Here are the countries considered foreign adversaries in the RESTRICT Act:
- China (includes Hong Kong and Macao)
- Iran
- North Korea
- Russia
- Venezuela
Since HoYoverse's offering is a popular Chinese game, it could potentially be reviewed should the new bill pass.
Although there is a ton of speculation on Genshin Impact's future, Travelers will have to wait and see if Senate bill 686 passes. If it doesn't, then there is nothing for gamers to worry about. On the opposite side of the spectrum is the possibility that playing Chinese games could become far more difficult due to potential bans.
Until that happens, it is worth reiterating that HoYoverse's popular titles are still legal and are not banned.
