Relation between Explorable areas and Archon Quests, the reason for less Exploration?
Since I saw some people during miliastra release time claiming that it was the reason for less areas in Genshin, I did a research considering we arrived at 8 archon quests in 6.x. The goal was to see how many explorable areas we received during the first 4 patches of the year and how many Archon quests we had during each patch (considering they finish at x.3).
Results:
1.x Areas: 1.0, 1.1 and 1.2 (3). Archon quests:(6)
2.x Areas: 2.0, 2.1 and 2.2 (3). Archon quests: (4)
3.x Areas: 3.0, 3.1 (2). Archon quests: (5)
4.x Areas: 4.0, 4.1 e 4.2 (3). Archon quests: (5)
5.x Areas: 5.0, 5.2 (2). Archon quests:(5)
6.x Areas: 6.0, 6.3 (2). Archon quests: (8)
Variable Work: Areas + Archon quests
1° year: 9
2° year: 7
3° year: 7
4° year: 8
5° year: 7
6° year: 10
Conclusion: It’s clear the focus is on history since we had an average of 5 Archon quests and then we go up to 8 this year. While on the exploration side, in the last 4 years in just one of them we had 3 areas in the first 4 patches so nothing changed significantly. But considering the variable “work” the devs work way more than the last 4-5 years.
Results:
1.x Areas: 1.0, 1.1 and 1.2 (3). Archon quests:(6)
2.x Areas: 2.0, 2.1 and 2.2 (3). Archon quests: (4)
3.x Areas: 3.0, 3.1 (2). Archon quests: (5)
4.x Areas: 4.0, 4.1 e 4.2 (3). Archon quests: (5)
5.x Areas: 5.0, 5.2 (2). Archon quests:(5)
6.x Areas: 6.0, 6.3 (2). Archon quests: (8)
Variable Work: Areas + Archon quests
1° year: 9
2° year: 7
3° year: 7
4° year: 8
5° year: 7
6° year: 10
Conclusion: It’s clear the focus is on history since we had an average of 5 Archon quests and then we go up to 8 this year. While on the exploration side, in the last 4 years in just one of them we had 3 areas in the first 4 patches so nothing changed significantly. But considering the variable “work” the devs work way more than the last 4-5 years.
Commentaires
We're most likely getting Dornman Port expansion for Mondstadt (most likely Varka patch)
We're very likely to get a Mare Jivari mini expansion for Natlan (maybe patch 6.8, seeing how Alice is always busy. Goat Enjou please be voiced!)
Edit: Curious, why don't you count 5.8? I know it's a summer map, but it's permanent
-People have complained since Inazuma about puzzle difficulty, which didnt get into effect until past GAA2, having Sumeru, and more prominently botteland puzzles been far simpler and easier to digest
-People have complained about lack of exploration abilities till Natlan, in where they complained "maps were p2explore" as they were made "easier" with playable characters and that "Saurians were too clunky", even tho Natlan is as streamlined as it can get, and has a Saurian/meter or some device to activate to get to "hard to reach zones". Now NK is far simpler to explore, and characters dont have exploration abilities directly attached to the map they release with
-People have also complained about "exploration primos been too timegated" even tho they last for 3 months(or 2 patches) and they usually padded map updates to not overlap(with the exception been summer resort and NK back to back). Having 1 patch with exploration primos, one patch without otherwise.
However every single theory fails to account for 1 much simpler reason for such a gap, as the AQ got longer(8 acts compared to the previous max of 5+1 interlude), so did the first map expansion(which was used alongside the AQ finale) have to wait
There is no nefarious reason, there is no "Hoyo been greedy", there is no "they are trying to get back at leakers for saying that we would get a map expansion per map during NK cycle", there is no "Miliastra is siphoning devs from the main project". They simply paired the map expansion, with the AQ update that would fully use it with its domain placement
Most likely this. Reality can be so boring sometimes. :'D