Only a few mobile simulation games can capture a dedicated player-base. This is because most of these games are heavy for most mobile devices, and some are just not well-designed to begin with. But Gacha Life is one of the few mobile simulation games that was actually received well by the mobile gaming community.
For those who haven’t played Gacha Life, you may think that it’s just a cute, anime-inspired game where you can dress-up characters, play mini-games and socialize. But there’s actually more to it than what you think. Behind all the kawaii and cuddly world of Gacha Life, some of its players went overboard and turned a dark alley. Let’s take a closer look at what Gacha Life is about.
Gacha Life Gameplay
Developed by Lunime, Gacha Life is a casual simulation game that is made for kids of 9 years old and above. Players can create a character, dress him/her up, and create life stories in this game.
There are also 8 mini-games for you to play and enjoy. Some of these games are Duck & Dodge, Orca Sploosh, and Narwhal Sky. Playing mini-games will earn players Gacha gems. These gems can be used to recover stamina in the main game. Gacha Life is easy and simple to play. Players can also socialize with other players or chat with AI characters within the game. It’s also one of the most kawaii mobile simulation games to date!
The Problem With Gacha Life: Its Gaming Community
But here’s the shocking part… The game has cringe-worthy and inappropriate elements, thanks to its gaming community. Some of these content have sexual themes and allude to suicide, child abuse, bullying, and discrimination.
These are themes that are surely not appropriate for kids. If you want to look for examples, here’s a list of YouTube videos that are uploaded by Gacha Life players. Although some players legitimately upload and share their fun and entertaining experiences, others are downright disturbing. Some of these include stories of suicide, depression, violence, and even sexual taboos.
Unsurprisingly, a lot of players and parents are airing out their concerns about the game. There are online petitions and requests that call for the game to be banned. There are also calls to take down inappropriate Gacha game videos on YouTube.
Lunime’s Response
Due to the backlash. Lunime made slight restrictions to the game. In their last update in January 2020, they started censoring curse words in the game chat. They also removed facial expressions that show a hint of indecency. These restrictions are helpful in some way, but it is not enough to control the shenanigans that some players have done in the game. To further curb indecent and inappropriate content, Lunime still has to do something more drastic than this.
What Happens Now?
Gacha Life is making quite a scene in the online gaming community since 2019. Remember the ElsaGate issue? Yup, it also seems like this game has fallen into the same pit. But even though the community has become toxic and inappropriate, the game itself is fun and enjoyable.
The developers are not directly at fault here because the controversial content are made by users or players of the game. However, the developers are also admittedly slow in policing their game community. Lumine has to create better community standards for its gaming community.
Lunime has to keep in mind that they created a kids’ game. Thus, they should be more proactive in gatekeeping their content and community. As for the game itself, Gacha Life remains to be a pretty fun and creative game. You just have to watch out more closely if your kids love playing it.
