Introduction
Video games have evolved significantly over the past few decades, transitioning from simple entertainment to complex interactive experiences that often incorporate elements of chance and reward. One prominent feature in modern mobile and online gaming is the gacha system, which draws heavily from gambling mechanics. Derived from Japanese capsule toy vending machines, gacha games involve players spending in-game or real currency to obtain random virtual items, such as characters or weapons, through a lottery-like process. This essay explores the negative impacts of these gambling elements in gacha games, focusing on how they encourage problematic spending habits among gamers. Drawing on recent academic research, it examines concepts like whaling, differences from traditional loot boxes, the role of aesthetics in fostering emotional attachments, and the influence of pity systems. Furthermore, it discusses potential measures to promote ethical monetization. By analysing these aspects, particularly through case studies like Genshin Impact, the essay argues that gacha mechanics create addictive loops that exploit players’ behaviours, ultimately leading to harmful financial consequences. The discussion is structured around key mechanisms and concludes with implications for regulation and player protection.
Whaling and Irrational Behaviour in Gacha Games
Gacha games often promote irrational spending behaviours by targeting high-spending players, commonly referred to as “whales.” This phenomenon, termed the “Whale Property” in academic literature, encourages an “all or nothing” mindset where players are driven to invest large sums to secure desired outcomes (Chen and Fang, 2023). In this model, game designers optimise monetization by creating systems that maximise profits through psychological manipulation, akin to a classic auction model where bidders are pushed to escalate commitments to avoid losses. For instance, in Genshin Impact, a popular open-world action role-playing game developed by miHoYo, players engage in “pulls” or draws to acquire rare characters and items. The randomness inherent in these pulls can lead to compulsive behaviour, as players chase elusive high-value rewards, often spending exorbitant amounts.
Chen and Fang (2023) employ a mathematical approach to demonstrate how the Whale Property is the most optimal design for gacha games, as it capitalises on players’ tendencies to overlook probabilities in favour of potential gains. This irrationality is evident in real-world cases, such as reports of players spending thousands of dollars on Genshin Impact banners—limited-time events featuring exclusive characters. The game’s structure amplifies this by offering low drop rates for top-tier items, typically around 0.6% for five-star characters, which mathematically favours prolonged engagement and spending. Consequently, whaling not only sustains the game’s revenue but also normalises excessive expenditure, potentially leading to financial distress. While some players may view this as voluntary entertainment, the underlying design deliberately fosters addiction-like patterns, blurring the line between gaming and gambling. This raises ethical concerns, as the promotion of such behaviours can exploit vulnerable individuals, including those with impulsive tendencies.
Moreover, the comparison to auction models highlights how gacha systems create a false sense of competition and urgency, urging players to outbid their own limits. In Genshin Impact, the integration of narrative elements with gacha pulls further entices spending, as players feel compelled to collect characters tied to the storyline. This case study illustrates the broader issue: gacha games are engineered to prioritise profit over player well-being, often resulting in regret and debt. Although not all players become whales, the system’s design ensures that a small percentage of high spenders subsidise the free-to-play model, perpetuating inequality within the gaming community.
Exploitation of New and Long-Term Players Compared to Traditional Loot Boxes
Gacha games exploit both new and long-term players through tailored monetization strategies that differ markedly from traditional loot boxes found in games like Counter-Strike. Unlike loot boxes, which are often one-off purchases yielding cosmetic or functional items with varying rarities, gacha systems incorporate ongoing progression mechanics that encourage repeated investments (Lakić, Bernik and Čep, 2023). For new players, the allure lies in accessibility; games offer free initial pulls to hook them, capitalising on the excitement of early wins. However, as players progress, psychological triggers such as fear of missing out (FOMO) intensify, particularly with time-limited events that pressure immediate spending to avoid exclusion from exclusive content.
Lakić, Bernik and Čep (2023) argue that long-term players are more susceptible to higher spending, as sustained engagement builds commitment and attachment. Their study, involving 700 participants, reveals that veteran players consistently allocate more resources to gacha draws due to accumulated in-game investments and social pressures. This contrasts with Counter-Strike’s loot boxes, which, while randomised, do not typically integrate into core gameplay loops as deeply; they are supplementary rather than essential for progression. In gacha games, however, missing a pull can hinder advancement, creating a cycle where spending becomes necessary to maintain competitiveness or enjoyment.
Furthermore, gacha mechanics differ by embedding gambling elements directly into narrative and social features, unlike the more isolated nature of loot boxes. For example, in gacha titles, players might form communities around shared pulls, amplifying FOMO through social comparisons. This exploitation is particularly insidious for new players, who may underestimate long-term costs, and long-term ones, who feel “sunk cost” fallacies—believing past investments justify further spending (Lakić, Bernik and Čep, 2023). Such strategies not only differentiate gacha from traditional systems but also heighten risks of addiction, as they manipulate player psychology to sustain revenue. Indeed, this can lead to dangerous habits, where gaming transitions from leisure to compulsion, affecting financial stability and mental health.
The Role of Aesthetics in Triggering Spending and Emotional Fulfilment
Beyond mere chance, the aesthetics of gacha games play a crucial role in triggering increased spending by fulfilling players’ emotional needs and desires. Character designs, often vibrant and anthropomorphic, create affective embeddings that allow players to express themselves and form attachments, motivating expenditures for non-gambling reasons (Woods, 2024). In this context, aesthetics serve as assemblages—combinations of visuals, narratives, and interactions—that mediate self-expression, prompting irrational behaviours driven by emotional payoff rather than thrill alone.
Woods (2024) examines data from young Singaporean players, revealing how gacha elements satisfy desires for identity and belonging. For instance, acquiring a beautifully designed character can evoke a sense of achievement or companionship, fulfilling unmet emotional needs in real life. This is particularly evident in games like Genshin Impact, where characters are not just functional assets but embody stories and personalities that resonate with players. The aesthetic appeal—detailed artwork, voice acting, and customisation options—encourages spending to “collect” these virtual entities, transforming gacha into a form of emotional investment.
Moreover, this fulfilment can lead to problematic habits, as players prioritise aesthetic satisfaction over financial prudence. Woods (2024) notes that such embeddings create mediated expressions of the self, where spending becomes a way to curate a digital identity. However, this often masks the gambling core, making it harder for players to recognise addictive patterns. Typically, younger demographics are more vulnerable, as aesthetics tap into developmental needs for self-expression. Therefore, while aesthetics enhance engagement, they subtly exacerbate spending by blending emotional rewards with monetary costs, potentially leading to regret when the initial allure fades.
The Pity System and Potential Policies for Ethical Monetization
The pity system in gacha games exemplifies subtle manipulation, urging continued spending by highlighting proximity to rewards. This mechanic guarantees a high-rarity item after a set number of unsuccessful pulls, such as 90 in Genshin Impact, creating a “just one more” mentality (Thavamuni et al., 2025). By displaying pull counts, it exploits cognitive biases, making players feel invested and close to success, thus encouraging further expenditure.
Thavamuni et al. (2025) apply Game Refinement Theory and Motion in Mind frameworks to show how pity systems, combined with reward frequency, foster gambling-like behaviours. Their study identifies a threshold of around 55 pulls where gameplay begins resembling gambling, as anticipation builds. In Genshin Impact, this system subtly shifts focus from chance to persistence, masking low probabilities and promoting addiction.
To mitigate these effects, policies promoting ethical monetization are essential. Thavamuni et al. (2025) suggest regulations like mandatory spending limits, transparent probability disclosures, and age restrictions to curb exploitation. For instance, implementing cooldown periods between purchases or requiring educational warnings about gambling risks could foster responsible habits. Additionally, industry standards could encourage alternative models, such as subscription-based access without random elements, reducing reliance on gacha. Governments, particularly in the UK, might draw from existing gambling laws to classify and regulate gacha as loot boxes, ensuring player protection while allowing innovation.
Conclusion
In summary, gacha games integrate gambling mechanics that promote detrimental spending through whaling, player exploitation, aesthetic allure, and pity systems, as evidenced in cases like Genshin Impact. These elements create addictive loops by blending chance with emotional and psychological triggers, leading to irrational behaviours and financial harm. By tying into concepts like FOMO and self-expression, they differ from traditional loot boxes and exacerbate long-term engagement issues. To lessen these effects, implementing policies such as spending caps and transparency measures is crucial for ethical practices. Ultimately, addressing these concerns could balance monetization with player well-being, fostering a healthier gaming environment. This analysis underscores the need for ongoing research and regulation in an industry where entertainment often borders on exploitation.
References
- Chen, C. and Fang, Z. (2023) Gacha game analysis and design. Proceedings of the ACM on Measurement and Analysis of Computing Systems, 7(1), Article 6.
- Lakić, N., Bernik, A. and Čep, A. (2023) Addiction and Spending in Gacha Games. Information, 14(7), 399.
- Thavamuni, S. et al. (2025) Inherent Addiction Mechanisms in Video Games’ Gacha. Information, 16(10), 890.
- Woods, O. (2024) The Affective Embeddings of Gacha Games: Aesthetic Assemblages and the Mediated Expression of the Self. New Media & Society, 26(2), pp. 823–838.
