You may have heard the term "gacha" thrown out to categorize many mobile games, including some of the best gachas on Android. But what exactly does it mean? Is it a genre, a payment model, or a gameplay element? We've produced a frequently asked questions (FAQ) guide to answer your questions and clear up any misconceptions behind the term "gacha" and what it means in the gaming industry.
The term "gacha" dates back to Japan, where a "gachapon" is a popular Japanese vending machine capable of spitting out plastic capsules containing toys in return for a few Yen. It's not just about the new toy you're collecting from twisting the knob on a gachapon; the whole experience also encompasses the machine's satisfying sounds and blinking colorful lights flashing in your face after winning a prize. Participating in gachapon truly encapsulates a psychologically addictive experience, enough to create that dopamine hit, and now we have games trying to reproduce that experience virtually. Gachas today are also some of the most accessible mobile games, not even requiring the best Android smartphone to reach peak gaming performance.
Monetization refers to converting any form of owned assets into cash and is often adopted as a business model for companies looking to generate revenue.
Games with monetization will refer to how game developers add methods to entice you into spending your resources on virtual assets like cosmetics, gear, weapons, and characters. Once your in-game resources are spent, people might look into purchasing premium items or even subscription services/deals via real money from a shop, essentially adding to that gaming company's revenue stream.
Gacha games are often monetized, but the terms are not mutually exclusive despite what one may think. An example is Xenoblade Chronicles 2 uses a gacha system for earning Blades, but it's not monetized; the gacha currency is acquired through in-game means only.
Anytime there's a system present that allows you to win an in-game asset through a draw, the game is considered gacha. Games with loot boxes are also gacha since the contents are also lottery-based. You can label any game as gacha as long as there are gacha mechanics, but be aware that it may not always be the focal point in some titles.
Another characteristic of gacha games is a points system that limits your progression. You're capped on how many actions you can take per day unless you pay for point refreshes (or top-ups) which may cost precious resources.
Gacha is not a genre but is instead just a mechanic. However, games with a primary focus on gacha may be labeled "gacha games." Often these games become locked behind progression that requires better weapons, units, cards, and gear to advance, which is why companies that power-creep weapons, units, cards, and gear in favor of stronger ones will force players to keep up with the gacha. By definition, these games become pay-to-win and may be considered the most predatory form of gacha.
The answer is not black and white whether gacha is considered gambling or not. It boils down to the process and the experience; the experience is very similar to gambling, where the emphasis on the visuals and sounds make the whole experience psychologically addicting, just like playing slots at a Casino. However, when it comes to the process, the argument is that you can't lose a gacha roll since you'll always gain a prize at the end; it just might not be the prize you want.
Years ago, gacha games were a lot worse when "Kompu gacha" was legalized in Japan. Essentially it was a gacha mechanic where you had to collect randomized rewards to pursue a grand prize, basically the process of using gacha to grind out a bigger gacha. It was enough to be on the level of gambling since you were never guaranteed to collect what you needed to earn the prize. Still, due to significant concern and lack of protection from the gacha systems, Japan's Consumer Affairs Agency had to take action and ban that practice.
Companies now publish probability rates and have a pity system (a certain number of spins/pulls/draws) in place for the top prize to ensure there's a limit to how much randomization controls the whole gacha experience, ensuring the practice is a bit more consumer-friendly than typical gambling.
In gacha culture, you might follow the news and join community discussions around your favorite games. You'll see players throw out a few terms like "whaling" or describing players as "dolphins" or "whales." Those terms are based on how much money you spend in the game.
Whales aim to be at the top of the chart the fastest way possible, which is done by laying down a massive sum of money on day one. Whales spend far more than the average player and make a small portion of the player base. Essentially whales keep many gacha games (and other monetized games) afloat. Imagine spending a few thousand dollars on getting every single upgrade when new content releases; that practice is considered whaling.
Dolphins will spend some cash to keep their account competitive. They might not spend on every piece of content but splurge a little when it comes to attaining powerups on individual characters/gear. Dolphins may spend a few hundred dollars here and there, but nothing as consistent compared to whales.
No one likes addressing the elephant in the room regarding live service games. These games don't last forever, even if your favorite gacha generates a considerable cash flow to stay alive against competitors. When a gacha game, or any monetized game, announces the end of service date, it means that game is shutting down/being terminated on that date. Thankfully most companies will announce the date ahead of time before cutting players off, but still sad news, nonetheless.
It's no secret that pretty much every free-to-play game is monetized; otherwise, how else will the company gain a profit from its game? The most simple and reliable method to add monetization is through the gacha mechanic, and that's why most people label F2P (free-to-play) games as gacha games (referenced as games that focus primarily on gacha mechanics for game progression). However, not all free-to-play games will use gacha for monetization.
A widely known example is Pokémon GO. It is a F2P with monetization containing no gacha mechanics. Essentially you need PokéCoins to access items in the shop (that you have no means to get otherwise or in rare circumstances), like Incubators, Pokémon Storage, and Bag Upgrades. You can grind out PokéCoins by sending your Pokémon to local Gyms, but you can easily buy PokéCoins for real money. You'll feel pressured to pay up for increased Pokémon and item space since Pokémon GO is a collection game at its core, so Niantic will prey on that to earn an income.
The last difference between regular F2P games and gacha is if your daily in-game progression is time-gated. Gacha games often employ an energy/stamina system to cap out how many times you can play through a mode that earns you experience points, gear, items, and upgrade materials per day. Regular F2P games won't have this mechanic present and let you grind any content to your heart's content.
Your time matters the most, and prioritizing learning about the types of games you're playing before investing your time will save you some headaches. It's a recipe for disaster when your game ends up being fully pay-to-win, and sometimes you won't realize it until it's too late (looking at you, Diablo Immortal and its aggressive monetization). So ask yourselves, when you find out a game is F2P, what's the monetization strategy behind the game, and how does that affect your personal experience? Is it a gacha, and are you comfortable with the win rates while potentially dipping into the gacha system? Always make an informed decision before playing these games; you'll thank yourself later.