Fair game monetization and gamer spending are topics that are on the minds of many right now, and one of the more slippery monetization schemes involves “gacha” mechanics, aka buying something for a chance at a character unlock. This is often used in a variety of mobile RPGs such as Laplace M, otherwise known as Kingdom of the Wind.
One man fell into a spending spiral over this particular title, reportedly taking out loans from banks and friends and even losing his job due to his desire to unlock characters; he ultimately made 3,133 gacha tries and spent approximately $15,000. He sought damages in the amount of $30,000 against Laplace M developer X-Legend Entertainment, claiming that the game’s gacha mechanics were false advertising.
The developer’s argument leaned heavily on the user agreement which outlines that players are not guaranteed certain items, an argument that a Taiwanese court found to be strong enough to dismiss the player’s case. GNN reports that the Taipei District Court found the player to be irresponsible with his finances and that he should spend more wisely.
Moral of the story: Maybe take a moment to read that EULA. And spend responsibly if you must spend on any game.
