Japan’s Consumer Affairs Agency has decided that a system widely adopted by online game operators on SNS websites (social networking service) violates a law on sales methods. In the said online games called complete gacha (kompu gacha), players could win a rare virtual item or a prize after he buys a specific number of items required.

1. Black Hawk Reviews – Online Games:
Kompu Gacha Games Deem Illegal
Japan’s Consumer Affairs Agency has
decided that a system widely adopted by
online game operators on SNS websites
(social networking service) violates a law on
sales methods.
In the said online games
called complete gacha
(kompu gacha), players
. could win a rare virtual
item or a prize after he
buys a specific number of

2. The agency started the probe on the game
services following complaints of extremely
high payment charges on players of SNS
sites like Mobage and Gree.
This gaming system was
first introduced in online
games by SNS last year.
Kompu gacha is an
advanced level of gacha
where players can get
rare items after collecting
a specific combination of

3. However, the gacha games have
continuously been criticized for banking on
the players’ gambling tendencies,
especially then the specific item they will
get is not known at the time of purchase,
which makes it similar to a lottery.
The gacha game was
supposedly inspired by
vending machines that sell
small toys inside capsules.
But in this case, online
players are buying virtual
items for hundreds of

4. Even though the games are basically free,
users still have to pay for the Internet access
and for items they want to have like virtual
clothing or weapons in order to have more
advantage in the of 6 social
An association game.
game makers that include
DeNA and Gree, Renraku
Kyogikai might be asked by
the agency to stop offering
such kompu gacha
games. Black Hawk Reviews –
Online Games claims that the
CAA is preparing to announce
the said game practice as

5. But while kompu gacha is only one of the
many revenue sources of these companies,
investors appear anxious and are already
pulling out. Social-gaming firms DeNA and
Gree both suffered a 20% stock fall since the
issue broke out. mobile
The online
games market in the
country is found to
have a worth of USD
3.1 billion, with the
kompu gacha type of
games becoming the
main source of profit

6. Continuous growth of gaming trends among
the youth is a critical factor which brought
the matter up as parents are filing
complaints to the CAA after their bills
skyrocketed from kompu gacha games.
One middle school student accumulated
almost USD 5,000 in charges in just
one month while a primary school
pupil has reportedly spent over USD
1,500 in just 3 days of playing.

7. Japan is not the only nation where
children’s computer games are a growing
concern.
An example in the United States is the
case
filed against Smurf Village by parents
of a kid who accumulated massive
bills from app purchases.