Fate/Grand Order (FGO) is one of the most well-received games in mobile gaming history with over 13.8 million downloads all over the world and $4 billion worth of total revenue in Japan alone. The gameplay, graphics, plot, and fanservice are the main factors of the game’s success. To understand the hype, you can play the game now and see for yourself! However, just like any game, FGO has its fair share of controversies. And recently, the game is in hot water due to its low summoning rate.
The Effects of Fate/Grand Order’s Low Summoning Rate
Considering the high revenues of the game, it is not surprising that there are a lot of addicted gamers who would spend thousands of real money just to get their favorite servant in the game.
In 2018, the Wall Street Journal published a story about a man named Daigo who spent $70,000 on FGO—and that is not a unique case. Several critics of the game say that the game is turning regular players into gamblers because of its summoning rates, causing an addiction for many of its players.
Moreover, Daigo has substantial savings and stock investments, making his story light-hearted compared to the others. In reality, there are a lot of addicted players who are left with nothing because they kept rolling (and spending) just to get the 5-star servant they wanted.
A lot of people are willing to spend thousands of dollars, some even max out their credit card. Many players make bad financial choices—all because of the 1 percent 5-star summoning rate.
What The Game Developer Is Doing About It
The game developers are completely aware of what is happening. In fact, they even created a caricature that is a blatant representation of these kinds of players. They created characters who have similar traits with players who are addicted to their game. These traits include addiction to gacha, poor self-control, and a penchant for threatening and sexually harassing servants.
Unfortunately, there is no indication that the game developers are doing something to solve or minimize this issue. It also seems like they don’t care what goes on among their fans and the FGO community. They just made fun of it instead.
Is 1% Too Much?
Considering the condition of FGO fans, it seems that this summoning rate is too much. Comparatively, this is also the lowest rate among other gacha games such as Granblue Fantasy.
Although there are fans who would always go over and beyond for their hobbies, the 1% summoning rate in FGO is a huge issue because it is taking a toll on its gaming community. Considering the circumstances, this summoning rate is already unhealthy—and it is indeed too much.
Despite such issues, Fate/Grand Order continues to be one of the top-grossing mobile games not just in Japan, but in the entire world. Many fans would go the extra mile for the sake of this game. But some are willing to pay differently—by spending time with the game or by grinding the characters. There are free Saint Quartz to be earned, but only if you’re patient enough.
