Gacha games explained: Banners, pulls, pity systems, and more
Since the launch of Genshin Impact, gacha games have become increasingly common in the gaming mainstream. The Epic Games Store has a number of notable titles, like Zenless Zone Zero, Wuthering Waves, and Infinity Nikki—all of which count as gacha games.
But what are gacha games really? How do they work? Here’s what you need to know about gacha games, including the confusing terminology and what to consider while playing.
What does gacha mean?
Gacha comes from the Japanese term gachapon, which are coin-operated capsule machines that dispense a set number of prizes at random. Gachapon advertise a selection of prizes that match a certain theme, tempting players to try their luck at getting the most appealing one. They work similarly to gumball machines at your local mall. Like the color of the gumball, the prize you ultimately get is equally uncertain. Randomness is key here, as you aren’t guaranteed a particular prize for playing.
What are gacha games?
Gacha games revolve around similarly randomized prizes. While Genshin Impact will promote limited-time characters to add to your team every six weeks or so, Infinity Nikki will tempt you with beautiful limited-time outfits to dress your character in from head to toe. It just depends on the goal of the game, whether that’s to build a super-strong team to bulldoze bosses or something else.
Many of the most popular gacha games happen to be action or strategy RPGs, but they can also be rhythm games, tower defense games, and other genres. It’s just that many of the PC- and console-compatible gacha games fall into the RPG category.
What are banners in gacha games?
Every gacha game has something called a banner—a place within the designated gacha system to trade currency for chances at a valuable, randomized item. Different currencies exist within the game like cash for buying mundane items, resources for strengthening characters, and crystals of some sort to trade in for tickets for the banner.
There’s usually a standard or permanent banner that features characters or items you will always have the chance to get as well as limited-time banners that feature prizes you can only get within a certain time frame, typically a couple of weeks. Limited-time banners tend to rerun, a.k.a. come back at some point in the future, but you won’t know for sure when you will have a chance at getting the same item again.
Each gacha game has different drop rates for its items, which are the likelihood you will get that item if you spend currency on the banner. Most items you get from a banner are unremarkable. They are not actually useless, just so common that they won’t be noteworthy. Often gacha games make it so that you can either trade in common loot for more valuable counterparts or sell what you don't want.
What are gacha pulls?
Pulls are the colloquial term for the number of chances you have to turn the knob on the proverbial capsule machine. Gacha games use exchangeable items like stars, passes, and tickets as the pulls for its banners. They all mean the same thing: one item from the banner. One toy from the capsule machine.
Most players will pull on limited-time banners in hopes of receiving a five-star character or item, but these are the most difficult to get. Thankfully, gacha games give you a way to eventually get what you want. More on that in a bit.
What is a five-star item?
Gacha games feature items marked with one to five stars or organized by different colors to note their rarity. Five-star items and characters, sometimes outlined in gold, are the rarest and most valuable of their kind. For example, five-star characters are often the strongest in the game, and five-star items usually offer an advantage that makes it easier to complete challenges. Four-star items and characters can sometimes become more powerful than a five-star equivalent with the right investment. They also have higher drop rates, even if they aren’t as powerful.
Banners mostly spit out three-star characters and items, followed by four-star and then five-star counterparts. Save up enough resources for five-star characters or items, and do what you can with freebies and four-star prizes to stay thrifty.
What is a pity system?
A pity system guarantees that you will eventually get a valuable item at some point. Gacha games typically rate the rarity of its items from one to five stars, with four- or five-star items as the most valuable. For example, HoYoverse guarantees one four-star item from its banners every 10 pulls.
Pity systems kick in after a certain number of pulls, but the terms of each pity system depend on the game. Some games might guarantee a limited-time five-star item after 80 pulls, but some might require 90. Some will also increase the five-star drop rate the closer you get to that magic number.
You need to be wise about spending your currency on banners because you only have so many pulls. If you run out, then you might not be able to get an item you really want, especially on limited-time banners where you have a short time to get it.
When should I pull on a banner?
It depends. If it’s a permanent banner, then try to only use free pulls. After all, the prizes will always be available. For limited-time banners, you need to carefully weigh the pros and cons of the items you want from the banner and be real with yourself about if you can afford it with in-game currency. You should prioritize limited-time banners for your pulls.
Why? Well, for one reason or another, they often have the most desirable items—the strongest characters, most beautiful cosmetics, and so on. Gacha games highlight the five-star prizes on their limited-time banners to make them seem more appealing and tempt players to spend.
It isn’t a sin to desperately want a five-star item, but you should budget your resources and carefully consider which five-stars would best benefit you. If you “need” every limited-time five-star prize, you will quickly deplete your resources.
What is a beginner banner?
Many gacha games offer a beginner banner with discounted pulls and a guaranteed five-star item in a shorter number of pulls than usual—way before you would usually hit pity, a.k.a. trigger the pity system's prize payout. These might not necessarily be called “beginner” banners in the game, but they work in much the same way. If it would normally take 10 pulls to get a four-star item, it might only take eight, or you may get a five-star in 50 pulls instead of 90. If a gacha game just launched, you might also get free pulls that you wouldn’t otherwise get.
It’s okay to max out the number of pulls you can do on a beginner banner because you’re building a foundation for the rest of your playthrough. It’s crucial to collect as many resources and valuables as possible. After that, you should try to reserve your currency for limited-time banners.
Do gacha games require payment?
Gacha games tend to be free-to-play live service games that don’t require any kind of real-world payment. However, you do have the option to buy in-game currency and resources. If you need more pulls for a banner to get an item you really want, you might consider paying for it. Popular items also include paid login bonuses or battle passes for stronger weapons, more currency, and so on. This is why gacha games can be a slippery slope for weak-willed players.
That said, a good gacha game will make it possible for all of its players to enjoy its content, no matter how much they spend. Payment is always optional.
Are gacha and microtransactions the same?
Gacha games include microtransactions, but having microtransactions doesn’t automatically make a game a gacha game. Games like Fortnite offer cosmetics and loot boxes as in-game purchases. However, these are not the same as gacha.
Gacha games incorporate randomized items from banners at the heart of their progression systems. You can enjoy the core part of a game like Fortnite without engaging with monetized items, but five-star Genshin Impact characters undeniably make combat challenges easier to complete. Your team will depend on the characters you receive from the banner.
Again, payment is optional. However, you will always have something to work toward because of the ever-shifting nature of live service games and the fact that nothing is guaranteed. Your limited resources will force you to pick and choose which banners deserve your attention.
Which gacha games are on EGS?
The Epic Games Store features a well-rounded selection of gacha games, including the award-winning Genshin Impact and Honkai: Star Rail. It also includes Wuthering Waves, and the fashion-friendly, open-world adventure Infinity Nikki. Others like Snowbreak: Containment Zone, Tower of Fantasy, and more are also available to try for free.
These are only a few of our most popular gacha games. For similar genres, you can browse the Epic Games Store’s free-to-play and RPG categories.