컴플릿가챠에 대한 일본 경품표시법상의 규제

“Complete Gacha”, a virtual card-collection system based on a paid lucky-dip-style gaming calledgacha, also referred to as “Compugacha” or “Kompu Gacha” in Japan, means the method by whichusers are provided with certain premium virtual items, usable in Social Games, but only on thecondition that they obtain two or more different Items, including at least one Gacha Charge Item. “Gacha Charge Items” means Gacha Items that may be obtained by users in exchange for a GachaCharge payment. Where Gacha Items can be obtained either through Gacha Charge or other methods,such Gacha Item shall be deemed to be a Gacha Charge Item. Typical Complete Gacha is a case where users are clearly shown a pre-determined combination oftwo or more different virtual Items that can be obtained through Random Item Charge such as PaidGacha as a condition to getting another virtual Item. Complete Gacha is a potentially huge income generator for mobile-social titles. It’s a kind ofvirtual vending machine — a digital version of one of those old-fashioned toy machines you see ingrocery stores, where you pop in a quarter and it randomly spits out a plastic bubble with a toyinside. In “complete gacha” players try to collect a whole set of prizes from these machines; onlywhen they get the whole set can they unlock a rare item. It’s easy to see the value to developersand publishers: Players could pour money into the game indefinitely and still come no closer togetting the prize they want. Japan’s Consumer Affairs Agency secretary stated at a regular briefing that Complete Gacha couldbe thought of as “prizes” under the prize regulations (Law for Preventing Unjustifiable Extras orUnexpected Benefit and Misleading Representation). Japan’s Consumer Affairs Agency has declared theonce-ubiquitous mobile-social game mechanic of Complete Gacha to be illegal, Complete Gacha will beconsidered as “card matching”, which is banned by the Japanese Act Against Unjustifiable Premiumsand Misleading Representations.