What do you think about gacha and microtransactions in smartphone otome games?

Microtransactions are alright. Cacha games not so much cause gacha games usually make it hard on purpose to pass without spending some money on better characters/cards/items, etc

I personally think it's a big scam. You pay more for choices and randomised things than you would if they sold the whole game in full. A lot of impressionable kids go on them too and end up massively overspending or becoming addicted, it's a downward spiral I believe personally and once they remove the game, it's gone for good.

Gacha games and otomes are separate entities in my mind. I dont like gacha I would never play a game advertised as Otome that has gacha mechanics

I don't mind microtransactions, but I'd like to see a lower cap on gacha.

I don't really dislike gacha systems and in-game item trading, but if a game is too exploitative, I won't play it.

I feel like I'm quite torn on this topic but it's mostly because we've all been so... used to the concept? Like, gacha games were not really a mainstream thing, say, fifteen years ago, right? And then suddenly they're everywhere. To me it really feels like the entire boiling the frog phenomenon (when you put a frog in a pot of water and slowly increase the temperature, it won't notice till it's too late, that's the gist of the metaphor), and I think the same has happened with media in this context. (ᵕ • ᴗ •)

So I am torn because on one hand it's something familiar and 'the game needs revenue to keep producing content', but it all feels like cope to me a little bit. (╥ ᴗ ╥) Because, sure, a company needs money to keep making new stuff, and to keep the lights on, but why not just allow standalone purchases? Gacha just feels like gambling with extra steps, don't @ me. ; (◞‸◟)

That being said, I would generally rather just buy a full-length product than pay in increments even if it's cheaper. So the otome games released on PC/Switch are probably my favorite for that reason. And I have no fear of missing out on an event or something, too. ( ╹ -╹)