I agree, but I want to add that I think the “just a jpeg” thing on posts calling out the predatory nature of gachas is getting in the way of reaching the audiences that might spend money on gachas. Especially as modern gachas are more than just pictures and stats. Like, look at games like Genshin impact which I believe is the biggest gacha at the moment; it’s a game that is as complex as many other non-gacha games on the market and the characters themselves provide both variations to gameplay and power advantages. Calling it “just a jpeg” is allows for rationalisations like “it’s okay, I’m getting more than just a picture for my money”.
Gachas are predatory for tons of reasons. They’re basically gambling, and oftentimes the average cost of of getting the character you want can reach hundreds of dollars. The thing you’re gambling for is ingame power and while you *might* be able to do most things without paying, the sense that “if I only had this character it would be so much easier” will grow stronger the more you progress. They often include guild systems with guild missions that give you a sense of obligation to perform to your guild members and if you make connections within the game you’re less likely to leave. Pvp and leaderboards also give you something to constantly want to aquire more power.
So more convincing arguments might adress things like “does this game really give you something you couldn’t get in other games for way less money?” “would you accept buying power being a thing if it wasn’t abstracted behind characters and gambling?”
Highlight the predatory nature of the game compared to other games and ask questions to gain and show an understanding of the gacha player’s view. Because every gacha player has heard the “it’s just a jpeg” argument. Every tcg player has heard the “its just a piece of cardboard” argument. But it isn’t a convincing argument because it is honestly kind of false, the thing is a game piece of a game that is sold piecemeal and would cost thousands of dollars to get every piece.
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