Buzz
After delving into Genshin Impact, the renowned open-world game by miHoYo, a player completely kicked the cigarette habit within 5 months.
Genshin Impact stands out as one of the most addictive gacha games currently available. Despite players investing hundreds or even thousands of dollars into the game, it manages to avoid criticism. The game continues to receive love and attracts new players, with some even claiming it helped them overcome addiction.
A Reddit user with the handle u/hxomaa caused a stir with a post that quickly spread across the Genshin community. In the original post, they shared their experience of quitting smoking after diving into Genshin Impact.
'I know it sounds a bit silly and random, but I used to spend money on a daily pack of cigarettes. After playing Genshin, I became so obsessed that I started budgeting for a monthly card. This caused me to forget about buying cigarettes, and it's been about 5 months since my last smoke. I feel healthier than ever, thanks to miHoYo.' – Shared by the post owner. In addition to the monthly card, they also invested a small amount in gacha for waifus.
Quitting nicotine wasn't an instant result of wanting to own Ganyu. The cravings persisted, but this player shared the details of their struggle against the addiction when they started playing Genshin:
'Initially, it was quite challenging! I found myself increasingly irritable and unable to concentrate on anything. However, I was confident, and after 5 months, I began to feel stable again, and everything got better day by day.'
Some comments expressed support for this player, even joking that Genshin Impact is more addictive than cigarettes. Others cautioned this player not to spend too much money on Genshin, as gacha games can be incredibly draining. Additionally, gacha could become a new addiction similar to gambling.
This is an intriguing and inspiring story; not everyone is willing to improve their health for the sake of playing games. The tale of player u/hxomaa is a notable exception, as cigarettes are highly addictive and not easily abandoned overnight.
On the flip side, gacha could also become an addiction on par with smoking. Just like smokers, some indulge occasionally, while others go through a whole pack in a day; gacha addiction can be of varying severity. Although Genshin Impact doesn't exert significant pressure for players to constantly spend money, many other gacha games 'drain' gamers in this manner. Therefore, to avoid becoming a heavy gacha 'addict,' you must always exercise self-control and manage the amount of money you're willing to invest in the game.
