How do gacha games use psychological triggers to hook players?

1 The thrill of uncertainty

One of the main attractions of gacha games is the element of uncertainty and surprise. When players open a gacha, they do not know what they will get, and they hope for the best. This creates a sense of anticipation and excitement, similar to gambling or lottery. According to the variable ratio reinforcement theory, unpredictable rewards are more effective at motivating behavior than predictable ones, because they stimulate the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that is associated with pleasure and reward. Gacha games exploit this by offering different rates of rarity and quality for the items or characters, and by changing the odds and contents of the gacha periodically.

2 The power of scarcity

Another psychological trigger that gacha games use is the principle of scarcity. Scarcity is the idea that people value things more when they are rare or limited, and fear losing out on them. Gacha games create scarcity by offering exclusive or time-limited items or characters that are only available through gacha, or by setting deadlines or quotas for certain gacha events. This induces a sense of urgency and pressure on the players, who may feel compelled to spend more on gacha to secure the items or characters they want, or to avoid missing out on them. Scarcity also increases the perceived value and desirability of the items or characters, making them more satisfying and rewarding to obtain.

3 The lure of social comparison

A third psychological trigger that gacha games use is the influence of social comparison. Social comparison is the tendency to compare oneself with others, and to seek approval and recognition from others. Gacha games tap into this by creating a social environment where players can show off their gacha collections, compete with other players, or cooperate with other players. For example, some gacha games have leaderboards, rankings, PvP modes, or guilds that encourage players to compare their progress and performance with others. Other gacha games have social media integration, chat functions, or friend systems that allow players to share their gacha results, seek advice, or give feedback to others. These features create a sense of belonging and identity for the players, and also a sense of envy and aspiration, which can motivate them to spend more on gacha to improve their status or reputation.