Gacha Games, Reward System, and Player Retention

This literary review explores how the reward system in gacha games influence players motivation and retention. The reward system employed is a random reward mechanism – modeled after the japanese “gachapon” machines – in order to promote dopamine production, stimulating players’ anticipation and engagement. The core loops and gacha pull for the characters, supported by the complex currency system and progression-based leveling incentivize players a daily habit through the stamina system and daily missions. Moreover, the parasocial relationship between the player and the in-game character form a strong emotional investment that transcends mere gameplay. Furthermore, the game's design actively exploits cognitive biases like sunk cost fallacy, FOMO, and loss aversion; motivating players’ retention towards the game. The culmination of these design strategies can lead to a physical alteration of the brain. While there is existing research that confirms the effectiveness of the game’s design on players retention and motivation, the limitations suggest a deeper investigation of the effects between free-to-play players and pay-to-win players.