That legendary skin in Overwatch looks nice, doesn’t it? What about that new character they just released in Genshin Impact? Pretty good stats on that character. There are plenty of stuff we want to get in our favorite games, but unfortunately, we could only get them through luck, and a ton of loot boxes or gacha rolls.
But wait, are you going to take out your wallet to buy something that isn’t even guaranteed to you? Isn’t that gambling? Is getting your hands on those loot boxes worth it?
Whether it’s purely cosmetic or a game-changing addition, buying loot boxes or rolling in gacha games could get out of control if you haven’t thought about it beforehand, and you may end up saying it wasn’t worth it from the beginning.
Before you click “purchase”, try to reflect on these questions first:
Will It Make You Play Better?
In games like Overwatch, Apex Legends, and CS:GO, loot boxes will contain purely cosmetics and accessories for the player. The player does not get any game-changing advantage over others when they equip skins.
So the first question is: “Will this possibly make you a better player?”
Having a rare skin comes with the pride of owning it, and the rare skin should give you the motivation to be a better player. If owning rare skins doesn’t seem fulfilling to you, or if you’re still wondering about how much you want it, take more time to reconsider how much you want it before trying your luck.
Gacha games like Fate/Grand Order however, reward players with better characters or equipment. The same can be said for card games like Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Links which can give you the right cards for meta decks.
If buying extra gacha rolls will make you a better player, and you desperately want to get your hands on a new character, then ask yourself the following question:
Do You Have a Budget to Spend?
If you put a lot of money into a randomized roll, there’s still no guarantee that you’ll get what you want, unless they explicitly tell you that there are guaranteed drops after spending a certain amount.
The next thing to ask is: “How much is it? Do I have enough cash to spend on it?”
If you don’t make a budget, you might end up overspending for just one item. It’s pretty much gambling, so it’s best to be ready when you don’t get what we want. You need a budget to tell you when it’s time to stop buying more gacha rolls. It’s easy to fall into a gambler’s fallacy, and having a budget is there to show you whether it’s worth it or not.
Now that you set a budget, do you actually need it that much?
Do You Really Need It?
Nothing is worse than the feeling of buyer’s remorse, that feeling of spending a ton of cash on one item, just to realize that it wasn’t worth as much as you thought. Buyer’s remorse happens when we don’t do our research before cashing in.
Let’s think about it: “Do I want it, or do I need it?”
You enjoy having “wants”, but you can’t survive without “needs”. Learning to distinguish the two will help you decide if buying them is worth it for you. Sometimes you feel like rolling for the new character, but do you need to spend money again when you’re already okay with your current team?
Are There Other Ways to Buy Them?
Sometimes, the game’s microtransactions will be on sale. Gacha games frequently have sales to entice players to cash in for a lower price. One example is in Duel Links when they would lower the prices of booster packs for the first few purchases.
Let’s check: “Will there be a sale soon? Are there other ways to get them?”
If the game you’re playing has in-game currency, I advise that you use those first instead of using your own cash. And if you can only buy it with cash, you should probably wait for sales still so you could save some money.
If you’re really determined about buying those loot boxes, find out what others are saying about it before committing to it.
What Are They Saying About it?
There are people who have paid for gacha rolls or loot boxes before you have, and it’s recommended to look into their feedback first and decide if it’s still worth going for.
It’s time to ask: “Are others satisfied with their purchases?”
Take note though, that their experience may differ from yours. They may have gotten lucky in their draws, but it won’t always be the same for you.
For cosmetics and accessory loot boxes, it really depends on how much you like it, another person’s taste in customizations won’t matter to you. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
But if you’re rolling in gacha games for tier lists or current metas, be mindful that the meta will always change, and you might be spending over and over again just to stay on the tier list. People will say that it’s worth spending gacha rolls on it at that time, but it may not be true in the future as game devs will be updating the game from time to time.
Final Thoughts
You can consider what you’re buying worth it if you are satisfied with what you got for your money. Asking yourself the questions above will help you determine if that loot box is worth it.
Always bear in mind that loot boxes shouldn’t affect your enjoyment of the game. You should be able to enjoy the game without having to buy them, cosmetic or not. If you really enjoy the game, and you see yourself playing for a long time, then it’s alright support the developers by buying a loot box or two.
With that being said, spend your money wisely. Think about your purchases before you commit to getting that ultra rare item.