5 gacha gaming tips to best manage your spending

Microtransactions are becoming one of the most popular ways for game developers to monetize their games — regardless of the platform. Gacha games in particular take the cake on getting gamers to spend huge sums of cash on a "free-to-play" (f2p) game.

The recently released gacha game by miHoYo, Genshin Impact, reportedly made over $1 billion USD (S$1.3 billion) in less than six months from gamers worldwide. With different types of microtransactions having hit the gaming industry, check out some of these tips to spend less and get more from f2p gacha games.

Look ahead and research before playing

Under most gaming circumstances, very few people would recommend looking ahead at what the game has to offer. Guides and update leaks are riddled with spoilers that could take away from the overall gameplay and experience.

When it comes to gacha games, we often don't know what end game content, characters builds, or items are the best when we first start playing.

Only after we spend all of our premium currency in the early stages of the game do we later realise we should have saved for a late-game banner. Keep in mind that it is in the game developer's best interest to get gamers to spend premium currency early to want to spend cash later.

Don't spend a week of your time playing an account just to realize later that you spent your premium currency frivolously. Just like any other type of investment, research and find out what it is you're playing.

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Reroll: Cheapest way to get ahead

Look to get the best start. Most gacha style games will frontload gamers with free premium currency just to learn how to play. Now that you've looked ahead and seen what characters or items you really want, create a new account and spend your premium currency more strategically.

If it turns out that you didn't get the desired result, Reroll. This means starting a new account and trying again using the free premium currency typically earned in the beginning. Yes, this is a more time-consuming option. However, it is a free way to save on gacha style games to get the best start without pulling out your credit card .

Set a strict budget

Trying not to spend any money at all will save you the most. Many gamers find it more challenging and therefore more rewarding to play completely f2p. However, if you are looking to spend some money on premium currency, you should set a strict budget.

Most of us are not whales (huge in-game spenders), and setting a conservative budget on gacha games is a must as the games are designed to entice you and encourage extra spending on upgrades and features that feel time-sensitive.

Just think about any other past-time. We all have a logical limit that we could apply to playing games. If you think that buying a console game every week is too much, why would you spend more on a gacha game per month. Set a clear budget for yourself that you can quantify.

10,000 gems, orbs, or coins equals real cash

No one can tell you how exactly to spend your money. We all define value differently, particularly when it comes to how we spend on personal entertainment . That being said, microtransactions have no return on investment (in the traditional sense) and can add up faster than you think.

You should regularly remind yourself that the 10,000 premium currency in the game is actually $10. Imagine what $10 can buy you in real life. If reminding yourself of the premium currency's real money value doesn't help you control your spending, knowing that some gamers who end up spending 1000x or more than what they initially intended should help.

Whether you like it or not, gacha spending and loot boxes only offer a chance to get what you want. Typically, the odds are designed to be incredibly low, and it can be a slippery slope for gamers of all ages.

Don't save your credit card information, save free premium currency instead

If possible, don't allow the gaming platform to save your credit card information for quick top-ups. Create more steps for yourself that may give you more time to consider the purchase. The extra steps from finding your wallet to entering the information are an opportunity to remind yourself of your monthly gaming budget.

Instead of saving your credit card information, save the free premium currency at all stages to take full advantage of your f2p resources. Like any regular savings account , over the course of a few days or weeks, you may be surprised with how much you've saved and your wallet will thank you for it.

This article was first published in ValueChampion.