A new update for “Genshin Impact” has been released on August 12, featuring a storyline that closely mirrors Donald Trump’s recent complaints about Washington’s Mirror Pond. The update draws directly from the American president’s posts on Truth Social.
In the game, players encounter a fountain in the Snezhnaya region that reenacts the real-world incident. The narrative centers on Grand Duke Diomed Tuluzov, who attributes the pond’s problems to a series of mishaps. According to the game’s announcement, “tidalia” — small bright blue algae in the game world — contaminated the water supply.
Tuluzov drains the fountain and applies “beautiful, bright paint” to its base. However, this action leads to an increase in algae growth. He then uses bleach to purify the water, but this causes the paint to peel off. Tuluzov blames a group known as Rokot for deliberately damaging the coating at night, dismissing the servants’ explanation that bleach caused the deterioration as a lie.
In his final message, Tuluzov vows: “I will spend a lot, a lot of money to hire the toughest, mightiest, bravest men. I’m going to find these paint-peeling lunatics and lock them up! Thank you all for your attention.”
The update’s storyline parallels real-world events involving the U.S. Mirror Pond. On June 19, Trump accused vandals of using chemicals to damage the pond, claiming the harm was limited to a small area and promising full restoration. However, on July 31, the U.S. Department of Justice stated that the water bloom resulted from poor contractor work during repairs. The issue arose after Trump ordered the pond’s coating be replaced with “the blue color of the U.S. flag” in April, only for the water to turn green and the paint to peel off shortly thereafter.
