From Arknights to Genshin Impact, gacha games are all the rage nowadays, with most mobile gamers today playing these types of titles, or at least playing a game with gacha elements.
In case you’re unfamiliar, gacha games are titles that feature a mechanic where players spend in-game currency to get a chance to acquire characters and items.
The popularity of these games should come as no surprise as a lot of them are fun, not to mention free-to-play.
Well, free-to-start might be a better term since a lot of players who get deep into these games often spend a hefty sum.
This is because gacha games, by design, are made to nudge players towards spending to get their favorite characters and items.
So, how do these games get you to open your wallet? Gacha titles center around a mechanic where players spend in-game currency to receive a random character or item. The currency can be earned in-game or bought using real-world money.
These characters and items have a rarity, with better ones having a lower chance of being “pulled” (or received) by a player. The best of them usually have only a 1% chance of dropping. This means you can pull 50 times and not even get what you want. If you really must have that character or item, you’ll likely need to spend if you’re not lucky.
While this mechanic is a central pillar in gacha games, there are also other games that use a similar mechanic for cosmetic items. For example, Mobile Legends has this draw mechanic for limited-time skins, meaning players who want a specific skin will have to “roll the gacha” for a slim chance of getting it.
Considering that it comes down to luck if a player can get the character or item they want, gachas can be likened to gambling as both entice players to spend more.
If gambling asks players to place one more bet, then gachas often entice them to spend and try one more pull.
Also, the gacha mechanic in these games have flashy animations and sound effects when you get a rare character that can elicit the same psychological reaction as getting a lucky spin on slot machines.
It might seem hard to get into these games without burning a hole in your wallet. While it’s true that they are designed to get you spending, you can still play gacha games without going over your monthly budget.
Here are some quick tips that you should remember:
Pick the right game
The first thing you should do before jumping into a gacha game is to do some research. This is because it is important to choose a “free-to-play friendly” game. Meaning, a game that you’ll still enjoy without having to spend any money. Sure, you might not get all the best characters and items, but even with lower rarity units, content in free-to-play friendly gacha games can still be completed.
To find out if a game is good for free-to-play players, you can simply look up the game online with the term “f2p friendly,” and you’ll see discussions from fans explaining how easy or difficult the game is for players who don’t spend any real-world money.
Save up for your favorites
Using real-world money is an option for rolling the gacha, but most games in this genre give you in-game currency by completing daily quests and story missions. While it is tempting to try your luck and spend currency as soon as possible, it’s often better to save them up until there’s an available character that you truly want.
Getting your favorite character is not guaranteed even if you save up but having a stockpile of freely earned currency can help stack the odds in your favor.
Set a spending limit
If you truly feel the need to spend, it’s important to set a spending limit. You shouldn’t go over that under any circumstance, even if you don’t get the character you want. If you don’t have a limit, you might find yourself spending too much on a single character, especially if you’re unlucky and get frustrated.
For example, you can allot a specific amount to spend every month, or better yet spend only if a character or item is exceptionally strong or game-changing.
Feeling FOMO? Take a break
If you have friends that also play gacha games, chances are you’ll see them post their lucky pulls. You might even get the “fear of missing out” if your friends manage to get popular new characters in the game you’re playing. When this happens, it’s important to take a break from social media, especially if you’re easily swayed.
The temptation to roll the gacha isn’t limited to friends though, it can also come from the online gaming community as well. It’s best to stop visiting them whenever you feel the “FOMO” creeping in.
Play other games in between
These games are fun and entertaining but they can be quite addictive. Don’t pour all your gaming time into a single gacha title. You can play other games as focusing on just one gacha game can make it more tempting to pull for characters even if you don’t need to.
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