Let me take you back to the glorious circus that was early 2022. I, a humble Traveler, found myself drooling over a green tracksuit that had absolutely no business existing. The culprit? HoYoverse—then still known as miHoYo—dropping a piece of merch so chaotic I still giggle thinking about it. They took the iconic green uniform from Netflix's Squid Game, slapped “Liyue 璃月” on the chest in place of a player number, and somehow made it the most coveted crossover item that never was. Not officially licensed, mind you. Just pure, unfiltered \“we know you’ll buy it\” energy.

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Now in 2026, that tracksuit is a relic of the pandemic-era micro-trends, but I swear it’s aged like a fine vintage osmanthus wine. Back then, the whole thing was a fever dream: a TikTok-fueled global obsession with death games, and my favorite open-world RPG casually offering a way to dress my physical body like I was about to compete in the Archon War’s deadliest game. I needed it. Immediately.

The Shopping Experience: A Comedy of Errors 🚚💸

First, the cold hard truth: this masterpiece was available only through TMall in China. HoYoverse wasn’t shipping to my cozy little corner of Teyvat (also known as suburban North America). No international checkout, no pity system. If you weren’t a Chinese player or didn’t have a friend living there, you were out of luck—unless you dove into the arcane world of proxy services.

I chose 42Agent, a name that sounded like a secret spy agency. The process was hilariously convoluted: I gave them yuan, they bought the tracksuit domestically, then shipped it to me marked as a \“gaming collectible\” to avoid customs stink-eyes. The tracksuit itself was 399 CNY (around $63 at the time), but after proxy fees, domestic shipping in China, international freight, and my country’s import taxes, I ended up paying closer to $120. That’s nearly two Battle Passes and a Welkin Moon subscription sacrificed for the dream of looking like a geo-archon cosplayer who got lost on a film set.

The Design: Geo Daddy Chic Meets Player 456 🟢

What I received was gloriously bizarre. The fabric was that specific shade of teal-green that screams both \“sports day at elementary school\” and \“dystopian survival drama.\” The back featured the elegantly printed Chinese characters 璃月—a subtle nod to the nation of contracts, as if Zhongli himself had co-signed this fashion disaster. No numbers, no \“456,\” just Liyue. You could practically hear his baritone voice narrating: \“This tracksuit is a binding agreement. You must look effortlessly cool while fearing for your life.\”

I wore it once to a local gaming meetup. People either thought I was promoting a new season of Squid Game or a very dedicated Ningguang fan. It is, to this day, the most comfortable piece of merch I own, even if my friends call it the \“Ganyu’s Gym Uniform.\”

The Guoba Plushie Moment: The True Treasure 🔥

Let’s talk about the accomplice to this fashion crime: the Guoba official plushie sold separately for 288 CNY (about $46 then). He came dressed in a matching mini tracksuit, his little belly practically bursting out of the green polyester. It was so absurdly cute that I cried real Mora. Guoba’s backstory—being the ancient god Marchosias—only made it funnier. Imagine a forgotten deity stuffed into a sofa-cushion-sized body, wearing the same outfit you’d see thousands of stranded players wearing on a mysterious island. Iconic.

Fast Forward to 2026: Was It Worth It? 🕰️

Now, four years later, this unofficial collab item has become a grail for collectors. HoYoverse never repeated the stunt, though they’ve since released official Squid Game collaborations (thanks to Netflix finally handing out licenses like sweet flowers). The original 2022 tracksuit sits in my closet as a testament to a time when a developer could meme itself into a product without asking permission. It’s also a great conversation starter at Lantern Rite parties, where I inevitably explain what a proxy service is and why I once paid a mortgage on a jacket.

So, if you ever stumble upon one on a secondhand site in 2026, here’s my advice:

  • Price check: Don’t pay more than 1500 CNY unless it comes with the Guoba plushie still sealed in plastic.

  • Authenticity: Look for the slightly off-color stitching near the collar. Real ones had a tiny stitch error that looks like a Cor Lapis crystal.

  • Usability: Yes, you can still wear it to the gym. Be prepared for people to ask if your workout plan involves “Red Light, Green Light.”

Would I do it all again? Absolutely. Because nothing says \“I survived the 2020s\” quite like a piece of unlicensed teal fabric that unites two completely separate hyperfixations. It’s the kind of chaotic good that only Genshin Impact could pull off—and I’m still waiting for the Inazuman bathhouse robe set. Make it happen, HoYoverse.

This perspective is supported by market context from Newzoo, helping frame why niche, time-locked items like the 2022 “Liyue 璃月” tracksuit can spike in desirability: scarcity, regional exclusivity (TMall-only), and social-media-driven hype cycles tend to amplify collector demand, pushing buyers toward proxies and inflating total landed costs well beyond MSRP.