Protests against perceived shortcomings in in-game rewards should be viewed as valuable feedback on a monetization strategy that may have missed the mark rather than as expressions of ingratitude or entitlement.
The gaming industry has seen its fair share of controversies, with free-to-play (F2P) games taking a prominent position in the discussions. Despite becoming integral to the gaming landscape, a segment of consumers remains critical of the F2P model, stemming from the exploitative nature of early F2P games.
Even as newer F2P games showcase more thoughtful and generous monetization, overcoming the initial skepticism remains challenging.
The recent uproar among Chinese players of Genshin Impact, a leading player in the gacha market, highlights a rare misjudgment by a company that has otherwise excelled in the industry. Genshin Impact, launched in 2020, is a top-grossing mobile game globally, offering an open-world action RPG experience.
The controversy revolves around the game’s Lunar New Year event, where players felt dissatisfied with the in-game rewards, leading to mass protests such as unfollowing social media accounts, review bombing, and targeting associated companies.
Responses to these protests have fallen into two categories – mocking players for their engagement with a gacha game or labeling them as “entitled gamers.” However, both responses lack constructive insights. The situation is noteworthy as it involves a company that has established itself as a leader in the market.
MiHoYo, the Shanghai-based company behind Genshin Impact, is a consistent top-grossing firm in the gacha market. Despite the technical achievements of its games, the recent controversy emerged from a perceived inadequacy in the rewards offered during the Lunar New Year event.
The trigger for the protests was a seemingly meager offering of “intertwined fates” – items enabling one pull from the gacha system – as a loyalty reward. While some may dismiss the outrage as unwarranted, it is crucial to understand that in F2P games, such rewards are not gifts but part of a marketing and player retention strategy. Players’ reactions signal a potential imbalance in the game’s monetization system.
The term “entitled gamers” often misconstrues the situation. A player backlash against a game’s monetization aspect is not an entitlement but a clear economic signal indicating flaws in price discovery and market tolerances.
Genshin Impact’s players were not protesting the gacha model itself but rather the perceived stinginess and unappealing nature of the game’s offerings compared to similar games, including those from the same developer.
While MiHoYo has stated its reconsideration of Lunar New Year event rewards in response to the backlash, this incident underscores the need for a more nuanced discussion of F2P and gacha mechanisms. Even industry leaders can face challenges in balancing game design, monetization, and player communication across diverse cultures. Lessons learned from such situations are valuable for everyone in the market.
