At some point or another, most people have played a game with gacha elements. Overwatch, Genshin Impact, and the Ikemen Series all have gacha aspects. However, are these types of games worth playing long after launch? Some say yes, some say no, but here are things to consider before jumping into one.
Gacha Games
Gachas are notorious for the amount of money people spend to obtain one limited character, weapon, and goodies. There are hundreds of stories of parents falling into massive credit card debt over their kids spending thousands of dollars on these games.
Gacha games come in all shapes and sizes. Some are visual novels like Twisted Wonderland, others are rhythm games like Project: SEKAI, and some are turn-based games like Limbus Company. There are also card games, first-person shooters, and puzzle games. If developers can monetize their games in some way, it can be considered a gacha.
Not All Gachas Are Created Equal
Some games are more gacha-heavy than others. Overwatch, League, and Smite have gacha elements but do not fall under the gacha umbrella. This is because their gachas are for character skins, weapon skins, and other customization items that do not prevent their player base from playing with all the characters and features. These items are luxuries and bring some additional fun to the players.
Genshin Impact, Dislyte, and Wuthering Waves players do not need limited characters and weapons to play. However, there is an incentive to invest in limited units since they make gameplay a lot easier. For example, most Genshin players will swear by the limited 5-star character, Kazuha. This character is flexible and can be used for multiple team compositions to do a lot of damage both on and off the field. He also makes exploration in the overworld easy with his jumping prowess. Is he necessary? No, but life does become easier with Kazuha.
Money Problems
Not everyone has disposable income to blow on gachas. In my 4 years of playing Genshin Impact, I have spent a little less than 100 USD. However, I play consistently and do not pull on limited banners unless I am 100% sure I enjoy the character and their play style.
When it comes to playing these games, I find it best to plan accordingly by looking at upcoming patch notes. I’ve had moments where I’ve had to skip a limited character’s banner I wanted because a character I wanted more was on the next banner. Luckily, character re-runs are common. It’s just a matter of when they happen.
How Much Content Is There?
Looking at how much of the game you need to work through is also important. How long has it been since launch? How much content is there for you to explore?
Newer games have less content to get through, so it’s easy to catch up. Starting Zenless Zone Zero, Dislyte, or Reverse: 1999 is much more accessible since there isn’t too much content.
However, for games with a longer run, there’s a lot to consider. For example, Genshin has 6 full continents to explore, filled with stories and quests that still keep veteran players like myself busy each patch. Unfortunately, new players won’t have access to the limited events, but there’s a lot to do in the game, and it’s time-consuming.
Missing Content
Whenever new players decide to pick up a new game, they can play through the entire game with the resources available to them. However, not all games offer new players the full-scope content that they missed.
Genshin Impact has limited weapons and stories that cannot be obtained outside special events. While building characters doesn’t require these event weapons, free weapons are always a plus, especially when they’re usually created with certain characters in mind. For example, 3 years ago, Genshin released the Cinnabar Spindle as an event reward. This sword was created with the limited 5-star character Albedo in mind; however, it can also be used for newer characters, Chiori and Xilonen. Unfortunately, if you didn’t play this event 3 years ago, it’s impossible to obtain this weapon.
Some teams moved away from this model and now allow players to play events they missed out on. Dislyte, Honkai: Star Rail, and Zenless Zone Zero allow players to play past events to obtain some or all of the original rewards. Reverse: 1999 re-runs its events and allows players to earn all the rewards and achievements they might’ve missed.
Newer games are a curveball because we don’t know if limited items and events will rerun. Love and Deepspace has become notorious for its criminally short banners and the multitude of limited cards and events in those banners. In the 11 months since its launch, Love and Deepspace has released 64 limited 5-star cards, with more coming in the future, but no news of reruns.
Make Space
Most gacha games are available on mobile, which takes up a lot of memory, especially if you’re playing big games like Genshin. The same applies if you choose to install multiple gachas as well. Fortunately, some games have moved to become available on PC and console.
Before picking up a game, I recommend looking up where else these games can be played before you have to drop a game because you can’t store it. I had to drop Fire Emblem Heroes a few years after launch because my phone couldn’t run that and Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp at once.
Nowadays, most players scatter their gachas across multiple devices. I have Twisted Wonderland, Ikemen Vampire, and Love and Deepspace on my phone. However, Love and Deepspace is one big update away from uninstallation. I play Genshin Impact and Zenless Zone Zero on my PS5, and I have Dislyte, Limbus Company, and Reverse: 1999 on PC.
Final Verdict
At the end of the day, a gacha game is a regular game but with a spending mechanic. If you’re interested in the game because of the story and gameplay, research its availability and organize your storage space, if necessary. There’s nothing worse than finding a game you like but can’t play because you ran out of memory.
If you plan to spend money, do it responsibly and make sure it’s for your enjoyment. There’s no point in spending for a character just because they’re good. If you’re going to spend, spend because you like them and enjoy playing with them.
TL;DR: Play what you want, know what you’re getting into, and don’t go into financial ruin.
