For a long time, MeinMMO editor Marie Friske was discouraged by the gacha system in Genshin Impact and now regrets not starting the RPG sooner.
“Gacha systems”, the stuff nightmares are made of for some gamers. Many immediately look for the exit as soon as they hear that a game relies on these random mechanics.
For this very reason, I also gave Genshin Impact a long chance – the thought of a nasty gambling system that requires you to spend thousands of euros to get a somewhat decent character was too present.
Meanwhile, Genshin Impact has become one of my absolute favorite games. I have formed my own opinion about the gacha system – and I regret that it kept me from playing the RPG for so long.
I can still understand the criticism, even to the point of some players completely avoiding gacha systems, but I have come to terms with the random mechanics in Genshin Impact and have found a good way to deal with it.
I would also advise against the game for individuals who already show tendencies toward gambling addiction, as the mechanics work similarly.
If you or someone you know is affected by gambling addiction, you can find more information and a contact point at the Federal Centre for Health Education.
This article reflects my personal experience and approach to the gacha system. However, this may vary from person to person and should therefore not be generalized.
Here you can see a video with daily tasks that you can do to earn Genshin Impact characters for free:
The gacha system is not as nasty as I thought
How does the gacha system work in Genshin Impact? You obtain weapons and characters by “pulling” on specific banners. For a pull, you need “fate”, which you can obtain either through in-game currency such as primogems or by paying real money.
With 90 pulls on a banner, you are guaranteed to receive a 5-star character (or weapon). There is a 50% chance that it is the event character you want. With 180 pulls, you are absolutely assured of the character.
A detailed explanation of the gacha system in Genshin Impact can be found here:
Before I started playing Genshin Impact, I established a single golden rule: I will play through Teyvat as a free-to-play player! No matter how tempting a game character may be, I will earn them without spending a cent. So far this has worked, although it occasionally becomes quite difficult for me to restrain myself on event banners.
My strategy to avoid impulse pulls: Create a savings plan in advance for the truly important characters. I have already made one for Baizhu, one of my absolute favorite characters:
What is very important to me in order to enjoy Genshin Impact: I can earn the coveted primogems, the currency you need to pull characters for free.
While it means more effort and grinding, it is doable. Events are especially helpful here, where large amounts of primogems are often offered as rewards. Additionally, the limit of 180 pulls provides a reference point to measure how far I am from my goal of obtaining a character for sure.
Of course, as a free-to-play player, I cannot get all the characters I think are cool, of which there are honestly quite a few. I would have loved to get Alhaitham, Dehya, and Baizhu all, but I must prioritize.
In the end, it is enough for some 5-star characters. Even though you don’t necessarily need them to play through Teyvat. Because even the 4-star characters, which are easier to obtain, sometimes even through events, are completely sufficient.
But when I wander into the shop after hard grinding work with my bag full of primogems and can finally get a long-desired favorite into my team, my joy is all the greater. After all, I earned them with passion.
For anyone, like me, who has been saving for Baizhu, can soon look forward: Update 3.6 will bring us the green-haired doctor and Kaveh as new playable characters.
