Gacha Here, Gacha There, Gacha Everywhere

It seems that despite the many objections to the game’s “lottery” style of acquiring rare collectibles in the games, RPG Gacha gaming looks to be continually on the rise. There are 3 major reasons why so many gamers of all ages are flocking to the Gacha game wagon. For whatever controversies and complaints the gaming public has with Gacha-Style gaming, the fact remains that so many are continually playing. Let’s take a look why.

Almost all Gacha online RPG games adhere to the “Free2Play” platform standard. You can play without spending a single cent, what’s more, you can download the game for free as well. Regardless, Gacha RPGs offer quality gaming in graphics, animation, and sound, and are professionally made as the best AAA games. With its Free2Play service and distribution model, anyone can easily join in the fun.

Another reason is that these games never really end. In the majority of them, playing one is like playing a lifetime game because of its “Live Service” structure, the developers continue to release new content and updates every few weeks. The game gets large and larger and bigger and bigger. New stories and chapters, new scheduled holiday events, new heroes to collect, and new materials that keep the game feeling fresh and going, continue to immerse and keep the players logging in daily to see what’s new.

Finally, there is the lottery mechanic of the game. Whether one is a paying gamer or the Free2play grinder, the collectible mechanics provide a very strong psychological pull and thrill. As Tom Hanks would say, “life is like a box of chocolates …” , you know the rest. It’s the Gacha lottery where you could win the ultimate collectible hero and get the chance to build your dream squad of heroes, go a questing, and win the day, (till the next installment comes).

As mentioned, almost all of the games are Free2Play and that means for every 90% of players who enjoy grinding in the game for Free, that will be 10% who will shelve the cash (sometimes in the thousands) to avoid the time consuming grind. These gamers are the Whales and Megalodons who make up by their purchases to keep the developers working and the game running. Within the game, they may end up on top of the heap, but everyone else thanks them for practically including everyone in the service.

Gacha RPG 101 for Boomers

To explain Gacha RPG gaming to our beloved seniors, it is advised to present analogies with things they are familiar with. These may be Trading cards, Board Games, and Vending Machines. This may even go all the way back to the glass ball-candy dispenser where you never know what color of the candy that drops down after inserting the coin. To this, let’s start with the basics in order.

Let them know that Gacha RPGs are still RPG games. Many Boomers were playing CRPG games on Commodore 64s and Apple 2s from the late 70s to the 80s and 90s, the legacy boomer games. Games like Ultima, Might & Magic, and The Elder Scrolls are not new to them who were into gaming in the day. Otherwise, tell them that it’s like an adventure board game with lots of combat animations where you build a squad of heroes, go adventuring, fight monsters, and complete given quests.

Then explain to them how to get the characters to assemble the squad. Ordinarily, one gets to recruit squad mates as one moves through the RPG adventure, but with Gacha, it’s a bit different. Explain the lottery collectible system as the game moves on and the concept of the plastic capsule Japanese vending machine where a plastic capsule with a mystery toy inside pops out after you insert a coin (just like the ball-candy or gum dispenser). In the game, one pays points to get a Gacha pack/box and just hope it contains a rare powered character instead of a regular one.

For those who still don’t know, FYI, in Japan, these mystery vending machines are called 'Gachapon' from where Gacha was derived.

Finally, assure the elder that Gacha RPG games are generally free (it will state if there is any fee to pay if at all). One can play and grind through the game to heart’s content without spending s single cent. Through grit and grind, fighting and beating enemies over and over, one can earn the Gacha packs or boxes and get the chance to get the rare collectible heroes. For those with enough cash to spend, one can always take the easier though costlier way out to get better chances at snagging great collectibles and avoiding the grind. The choice is the gamers.

Many boomer gamers are naturally reluctant to try new things or dive right away into a “Pool of Radiance” (D&D haha), so start by suggesting a good Gacha RPG to begin with. “Raid: Shadow Legends” will be more up their alley because the game is presented in a Medieval Western Dark Fantasy Art-Style reminiscent of the Classics, EverQuest, Baldur’s Gate, WoW, and the like. The game plays similar to the classics with Elves, Orcs, Knights and other Fantasy characters. Gacha, however, is infused into the gameplay and this is where things may be a little bit different. Regardless, it’s just another gameplay mechanic to learn and get used to, though they may really have to grind a bit more for a total Free2Play game experience.