Pixel 10 series smartphones can't run Genshin Impact? Here's what we know

Google's latest Pixel 10 series may be facing GPU-related hiccups while running Genshin Impact, though the company insists support hasn't been dropped

Google Pixel 10 series smartphones, and especially the Pixel 10 Pro XL model, have reportedly encountered issues while running a popular game called Genshin Impact. According to a report by Android Authority, a Redditor shared a video of playing Genshin Impact on what is believed to be a Pixel 10 Pro XL. While playing, a range of issues were witnessed, including screen bleed. Google has also issued a clarification on this matter.

 

According to Android Authority, Google, while responding to this, said, “Genshin Impact has not removed Pixel 10 GPU support. We partnered closely with miHoYo over the past year for Pixel 10.”

 

What went down

According to a report by Android Authority, the Redditor was playing Genshin Impact on a smartphone, which is said to be a Pixel 10 Pro XL. In the video, the smartphone started behaving erratically, leading to issues such as screen bleed, lag-loop, and more. According to the person who shared the video, this happened because the developer of Genshin Impact, miHoYo, dropped support for PowerVR GPUs with its v5.0 update earlier. For the uninitiated, Pixel 10 series smartphones are equipped with PowerVR GPUs.

 

For deeper context, Google’s Pixel 9 series used ARM’s Mali GPUs, but with the Pixel 10 lineup, the company switched to PowerVR DXT-48-1536 GPUs. Since Genshin Impact no longer supports this hardware, many users have speculated that the Pixel 10 series might be entirely incompatible with the popular RPG title. The situation gained traction online until Google stepped in with an official statement addressing the issue.

In Genshin Impact’s version 5.0 release notes, it was noted that “devices below the minimum specifications may still launch the game, but may experience performance issues including frame rate drops, instability, or crashes during gameplay.” The symptoms shown in the viral video seem to reflect this warning. While the video’s authenticity cannot be independently verified, it’s likely that some Pixel 10 series users may encounter similar issues while others may not. Notably, Business Standard also tested the game on Pixel 10 and found no such issues with the game.