“Gotcha!” How Gacha Games Evolved with Genshin Impact

The fame of gacha games have risen dramatically, especially since the arrival of the massively successful gacha game, Genshin Impact. It almost immediately took the #1 spot of the most downloaded game at the time of its initial release. But first, what exactly does being a “gacha” game mean? The term “gacha” is derived from a Japanese word pertaining to the toy vending machine. Gacha games have been associated with loot boxes, which are typically video game items that contain an unknown object inside as gacha games always have in-game shops that offer randomized items. Most gacha games are often Japanese or Japanese-themed mobile games, featuring fictional characters, often drawn in anime form, Japanese lore, weapons, culture, environment and outfits.

The Impact of Genshin

Genshin Impact, in particular, became a global sensation that forever revolutionized the face of gacha games. Developed and published by HoYoverse near the end of 2020, the game took the world by storm as it amassed $2 billion after its debut, the largest amount of revenue a video game has ever generated in its first year. Gacha games are stereotyped to start out strong, only to rapidly dwindle in popularity and profitability as time goes on. However, Genshin Impact broke out of that label by cementing its position at the top by bringing its total revenue to a whopping $3.8 billion by the end of its second year. The game also inspired countless fandoms and cosplayers with its extensive option of characters of varying height, gender, ethnicity, personalities and culture to choose from, expanding the game’s influence beyond what could’ve ever been imagined.

Beauty…

Genshin Impact, at its core, is an action, role-playing game set in a mesmerizingly beautiful and vast open-world called Teyvat, ladened with seven nations, each teeming with mystery and elemental magic at every turn. The player controls one of the many characters in the game’s roster, with each possessing distinct personalities, powerful elemental skills, and captivating visuals that blend seamlessly with the serenity of the backdrop. Those visual warriors then boast buttery smooth graphics and sublime animations, with each character having their own attack and idle animations that truly highlights the attitudes of every character. Genshin Impact doesn’t stop at fancy aesthetics, however.

The game’s map is filled with side quests that tell their own lore that adds to the immersion of the world and the compelling main story that blends intense action and drama proves that Genshin Impact is just as substantial as it is aesthetic. HoYoverse goes out of their way to make their players feel as if their game is a living, breathing being, and it might as well be. The game refuses to stagnate and constantly grows and evolves, receiving content updates consistently to shake things up a bit. Genshin Impact introduces at least one new character at every version update, alongside new weapons that will be partaking in their limited-time “Event Wishes”.

…and the Biz

These Wishes rely heavily on luck, which leads to how gacha games are often compared to gambling. So much so that a Genshin Impact version of Casino Bonus CA exists to help guide players on how to maximize their chances of snagging their prized character or weapon, informing them of when and what prizes, jackpots, and bonuses are available at the time, and keep their risks to a minimum. These guides often utilize the subtle, often unmentioned mechanics that players may utilize to increase their fortune in the casino industry, such as Genshin Impact’s luck-based draw such as the “pity” system.

Genshin Impact is a free-to-play game that follows a Games as a Service (GaaS) model. This business model started with older games such as Fortnite and even Candy Crush, and quickly became the trend in modern gaming as it grants the game developers the opportunity to continuously generate revenue from their games through Downloadable Content (DLC) and microtransactions. Thanks to frequent updates, most of Genshin Impact’s microtransactions come from its monetization of the gacha game mechanics in the form of Genshin Impact’s Wish and Banners whenever they add new content.

By utilizing the irresistible charm of the game’s assembly of characters, most players can’t help but try their luck in acquiring the character, whose time-limited status can prompt players to shell out cash to finally get them before their season is up. This business strategy, coupled with HoYoverse’s gift in making every character from Genshin Impact feel “real,” urges players to invest time and resources in their game while offering a luck-based mechanic that entices players to invest more time and resources to be able to explore the magnificent world of Teyvat with their favorite characters, a trade-off that leaves both parties fulfilled.

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