I HATE gacha games and other “freemium” games with a visceral passion. The main purpose of gacha is to suck the soul out of people with character designs that cater to a particular kind of freak. It’s like jingling keys in front of a baby. I hate gachas so much that I wanted to write a goddamn article about it. Obviously, if you enjoy gacha games and enjoy the content, characters, and storylines in a healthy way, then that in itself is okay, and you are entitled to your opinion. However, it’s undeniable that their gameplay loops are designed to prey on players in a never-ending cycle of dopamine hits to keep them hooked, yearning for more, and draining them of all their money in the hopes of getting a measly PNG in return. So I wanted to talk about the different ways you could have used your money if you weren’t spending it on “Honkai Punishing: Impact Zenless Deepspace Derby Party Archive Heroes Adventure 6.”
Instead of gambling away your savings for a tiny digital character, consider spending your time and money at an actual casino. Or, since casinos, card games, slot machines, and sports betting are prohibited by Texas law, invest in the Texas Lottery instead! I don’t know about you, but I think a prize of a few hundred, a thousand, or even a single dollar is much more valuable than a picture of a character in a game that you technically don’t even own.
Speaking of which, the average price for a guaranteed 5-star pull on “Genshit Impact” was around $120-160 in 2020. At that point, why not just commission an artist instead? There are a plethora of artists here at UTD that can match the quality of Genshin’s art style, and many have varying styles that might even entice you more. Additionally, you will actually own a piece of the character. It will be yours forever, as nobody else can have the art which was made specifically for you. And if you like it, you can even commission the artist again! Many artists have affordable prices and will draw for both profit and practice.
But I hear you; one of the main reasons people spend money on these characters are the animations, their gameplay, and how the characters’ appearance or personality appeal to them. In all honesty, a LOT of gacha games copy gameplay from other games. Modding your favorite characters into games like “Devil May Cry,” “No Straight Roads,” and “Bayonetta” is FREE and just as fun. Sure, the appeal of mobile games is that you can play them anywhere, but you can also get an emulator for your phone, often without jailbreaking it. You can reinvest the money you save into learning how to make a gacha game of your own, and then you’ll have the income to feed your ACTUAL addictions. Now go shoot up behind the dumpster, you beautiful junkie.
Now that you have all this money to spend, you can use it for a multitude of things — and there’s no better use than getting ahead on your student debt, investing in a house, or buying a car. I can promise you that every time you have the urge to spend money on “Cookie Run: Kingdom,” you could instead invest that money in your 401k and retire in your 30s. Instead of talking about wanting to go to Japan so badly, take that $100 from your most recent paycheck that you stashed away for pulls for and put it towards your next flight.
Hell, if you don’t like these ideas and are still adamant about giving your money to some big corporate suits, you might as well give it to charity or help the UTD community, such as Leukemia Texas, Dallas Hope Charities, or the Comet Cupboard, just to name a few.
On a more serious note, these games can lead to unhealthy habits and are, in fact, a form of gambling that can inadvertently lead to addiction. There was actually a case where a 13-year-old spent about $64,000 of their parents’ money on a mobile game. Sure, that game was “Diablo Immortal,” but the game used the same predatory strategies as gachas, and they’re meticulously crafted to keep your attention, your financial investment, and to have you wanting more. If you ever struggle with habits like these, please feel free to call the National Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
Besides, there are so many other video games you could be investing your time into, like “Another Crab’s Treasure,” “Unbeatable,” “Rivals of Aether,” “FATAL FURY,” “Hollow Knight,” “Mina the Hollower,” and tons of indie games and franchises for you to discover…
