Genshin Impact, which was launched in September 2020 has earned around US$874 million as of April 2019. It was the biggest global launch of any Chinese-language game ever, with an additional $175 million per month from mobile users. These numbers are even more impressive when you consider it’s completely free to play on mobile. This blog will examine gacha mobile games and the monetization strategies that game developers can use to make them more profitable.
Genshin Impact is a good example of a gacha-game – a genre that originated in Japan and has seen a rise in popularity among mobile gamers. Genshin Impact, Fire Emblem Heroes, and Another Eden are just a few of the titles that have made the genre mainstream in Asia, Europe, and the U.S. This blog will examine gacha mobile games and the monetization strategies that game developers can use to make them more profitable.
What is Gacha?
Gacha is named after the snap sound of Japanese gashapon (toy dispensers). However, the game mechanic is based on the randomness and value of the prize. Gacha games are almost always free to play and rely on the player ‘pulling’ or rolling for prizes that can be used to upgrade characters, get new items, or other features. These rewards can be obtained by the player spending in-game currency. To save time, they can convert real money into in-game currency.
Gacha’s game mechanics are different from the pay-to-win model. Players can buy the items and upgrades they want, but the rewards are completely random. While players can continue the game using the in-game currency that they have earned, it is possible to purchase real-world currency if you want to obtain better prizes or faster.
Gacha mobile games can often be compared to loot boxes (in-game boxes that can be redeemed to give players random rewards such as loot, skins, or items). There are many similarities between them, but there are also some key differences. It is usually the main monetization mechanism. Loot boxes can be found in gacha games such as Gacha neon as an additional monetization element. Each offers items with different rarities, new characters, and cosmetic/social benefits. Both require payment in-game currency, real money, or virtual currency to redeem random prizes. Gacha offers a wider range of items and more game mechanics.
Types of Gacha
Although most gacha types follow the same principles, some have better odds of winning than others. Others allow players to reroll and roll for bulk rewards. Below is a listing of five types of gacha, along with brief descriptions of each.
Kompu Gacha
This gacha game design involves the player completing a set number of prizes in a reward pool to earn a higher value reward. The player had a lower chance of winning rare prizes. It was too similar to gambling and resulted in a ban. Developers found other creative ways to incorporate gacha mechanics into games.
Step-up Gacha
Step-up gacha offers players greater chances to win rare prizes with each pull. This gacha is especially effective for players who spend a lot. The best rewards depend on how much the player spends in a given session or over a period of time. Your rewards are then rarer and reset in subsequent sessions. Gacha Club PC version is an example of such a gacha. It offers players a guaranteed rare character after their fourth and seventh pulls.
Package Gacha
Package gacha is a game where the rewards are finite. The probability of winning a rare prize statistically must increase with each pull. Each reward is reviewed and the player can accurately predict the price of each pull as well as the probability of getting a better reward. This gives the player a cost-effective incentive not to get the same item twice.
Scratch Gacha
Consecutive gacha is another name for players who spend in-game currency bulk. This gives them a better chance to receive rarer and more valuable rewards. When a player pulls multiple times, they earn a scratch point’. This allows players to pull multiple rounds at once, rather than just one. This allows players to get discounts for different amounts of pulls. When the player has earned enough scratch points, they will be able to scratch boxes to find out which prizes they have won.
Sugoroku Gacha
Japanese board game Sugoroku is the idea behind this game. It involves moving a character along a grid of squares. Each square awards the player with a prize. The more recent squares offer higher rewards. Each pull gives the player an opportunity to move up in the game. The luck-based minigame determines how far the player will advance.
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