Follow-up on Mihoyo Anniversary Art: Artist Apologizes Following Backlash, Claims Illustration Was Intended for Merchandise

During the 6th-anniversary celebrations of 'Honkai Impact 3rd,' an official illustration sparked massive controversy, eventually leading to a formal apology from the artist. The artist claimed in their statement that the artwork was intended for 'Guzi'—slang for fan merchandise like acrylic stands, badges, and postcards—seemingly attempting to justify the style choice.

However, this excuse did not appease the community. In the comment sections, users expressed that knowing it was meant to be commercial merchandise made the low quality even more infuriating. Netizens argued that 'unprofessionalism is simply unprofessionalism,' regardless of the medium. Furthermore, accusations emerged regarding the artist misrepresenting the context of the art (e.g., claiming it was for a concert in the Taiwan server), which only fueled the backlash.

Players explained that 'Guzi' refers to paid illustrations used for merchandise products. The consensus was one of sarcasm and frustration, with some joking that if the quality were truly that poor, the developer should have forced the artist to buy all the unsold merchandise themselves.