When Gacha Goes Wrong: Famous Controversies in Online Games

Gacha systems are thrilling when done right, but history has shown us that they can also spark major controversies. As someone who has followed online games for years, I’ve seen communities unite in joy—and explode in anger—over how gacha was handled.

One of the most famous cases was the Granblue Fantasy “Grand Jackpot” incident in Japan. Players spent huge sums trying to get a rare character, only to find that the odds were so low it felt impossible. Screenshots of players spending thousands of dollars without success went viral, leading to massive backlash. This eventually forced the developers to introduce pity systems and probability disclosures.

Another infamous example was Fire Emblem Heroes, where players criticized the appearance of duplicate “five-star” characters despite advertised odds, making the system feel manipulative. Western games have had their share too—Star Wars Battlefront II faced global criticism when its loot-box system gave paying players a clear advantage.

From my perspective, these events highlight the importance of trust. Players can forgive bad luck, but they cannot forgive dishonesty. When developers are transparent about probabilities, offer fair pity mechanics, and avoid misleading advertising, the community responds with loyalty instead of anger.

For me, gacha is like a contract between player and developer: if both sides understand the rules, it can be exciting and fun. But once that trust is broken, no amount of rare items can fix it.