Entertainment or digital age spending trap?

In recent years, gacha games have become a prominent phenomenon in the gaming industry. world. With the mechanism of “spin gacha” to receive random rewards, this game genre attracts millions of players in the hope of owning rare items. However, gacha games not only bring entertainment but also raise big questions about finance and transparency.

Gacha games and the element of luck

The term “gacha” originated in Japan and refers to games that use a mechanism similar to a gachapon machine – where players spend money to receive random toys. In gacha games, players use real or virtual money to spin a wheel to receive rewards, ranging from special characters, rare weapons to decorative items.

From a regular game, gacha has evolved into a mechanism for randomly owning items and characters in modern games.

However, the odds of getting rare items in gacha games are usually very low. Games like Genshin Impact, Honkai: StarRail or Blue archive All use this system to retain players and drive spending. 5-star characters or rare weapons often have an appearance rate of less than 1%, making it easy for players to fall into a spiral of “spin gacha” continuously to achieve the desired goal.

Spending psychology in gacha games

Gacha games cleverly exploit player psychology through effects such as the “sunk cost fallacy.” Once a player has invested a certain amount of money or time, it is often difficult to give up because they believe that continuing to spin will bring the desired results. This creates an uncontrolled spending loop.

Illustration of the banner mechanism in the game Genshin Impact, Players can only own rare characters through gacha

In addition, the time-limited reward mechanism such as banners also creates a lot of pressure. In Genshin Impact, rare characters only appear for a few weeks. If you miss them, you will have to wait a long time for a chance to come back. The pressure of time and this mechanism makes many people feel "forced" to pay.

The pity system is also a double-edged sword. While it guarantees players a rare item after a certain number of spins, it also encourages them to continue spending money to reach this threshold instead of stopping.

Fun or financial stress?

While gacha games bring joy to millions of players, they also pose a number of troubling issues. On the one hand, spinning gachas creates a sense of excitement when players don't know what they will receive, like opening a surprise gift. On the other hand, the element of chance becomes a financial burden for many, especially younger players.

Global mobile game rankings and revenue data for October 10.2024

According to Sensor Tower's report, games like Honor of Kings generated hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue in October 10.2024 alone. A large portion of this revenue comes from in-game events, where players are encouraged to spend heavily to own limited-time items or characters. This mechanism not only creates attraction but also makes many players feel “forced” to spend to avoid being left behind.

Gamer's perspective

Phuong Thanh (1998) – Software specialist shared: “I usually top up about 1.5 million VND each time I spin the gacha. When I receive the desired item, I feel very excited but also regret the money. When I don’t receive it, I get frustrated and often top up more in the hope of ‘recovering’. However, I later gave up on gacha games because I need time for work.”

Thanh Hai (1995) – Designer has a different approach: “I once spent more than 3 million VND at one time to receive my favorite character. But I always calculate carefully before recharging. If I am not sure to receive it, I will not spend. Time-limited banners can easily make players without a plan susceptible to the fear of missing out (FOMO) effect, but for me, resource management helps avoid unnecessary spending.”

The article posted the joy of getting a high-level character - a testament to the appeal of gacha games.

Insurance mechanisms can lead to top-ups when the required number of spins is almost reached. Managing resources and staying on target are key to avoiding the spending trap.

Experienced gamers like Thanh Hai advise: “When playing gacha games, set clear goals to have a reasonable plan for using resources, you need to understand clearly whether you play for character strength (meta) or just for collection. Don’t get caught up in the mentality of ‘spin a few more times and you’ll probably win’, if you don’t have enough resources, it’s best to wait.” Phuong Thanh emphasized: “Set a clear budget and stick to it. Don’t let emotions control you, otherwise you will fall into an endless spending spiral.”

Both perspectives and evidence show that gacha games are not simply a form of entertainment, but can also be a “financial trap” if players do not know how to control themselves. The responsibility does not only belong to the players, but also requires transparency and responsibility from the game developers.

Measures to control gacha games globally

Faced with negative impacts, many countries have issued strict management regulations to minimize risks for gacha game players:

• Belgium and the Netherlands: These two countries have banned loot boxes altogether, considering them a form of gambling. Games like FIFA forced to change the content or remove this mechanism when releasing in these markets.
• Japan: The practice of requiring the collection of a full set of items to receive a large reward has been banned since 2012. However, other forms of gacha are still allowed as long as the winning rate is clearly disclosed.
• China: Starting in 2017, China requires developers to publicly disclose payout rates and impose spending limits on players under the age of 18. Additionally, mechanisms such as “failure insurance” are required to ensure players receive their rewards after a certain number of spins.

The future of gacha games

Gacha games remain a major trend in the gaming industry, but financial and transparency controversies will continue to shape the future of the genre. To become a sustainable business model, developers need to be more transparent about their mechanics and commit to protecting players’ rights. For those who participate, staying sober and controlling your finances is the best way to turn gacha games into a fun pastime rather than a spending trap.