Common Misconceptions About Rerolling in Mobile Gacha Games

Many new Filipino gacha players believe that rerolling is always a guaranteed way to get the strongest character before even starting the actual game. But according to an academic study from the De La Salle University repository, the spending behavior of Filipino gacha players varies widely, and the truth about rerolling is not as simple as many think. In this article, we’ll examine the common misconceptions about rerolling in mobile gacha games that you need to know before wasting time creating multiple guest accounts.

What Does Rerolling Mean in Gacha Games?

Rerolling is the practice of repeatedly creating a new account, claiming free summons at the start of the game, and restarting if you don’t get the character you want, until you achieve your preferred result before seriously playing the game. This is the core of the misconceptions about rerolling in mobile gacha games, because many assume it’s a universal strategy that works the same way in every game. In reality, the disclosure, pity system, and spending structure vary from one gacha title to another, according to a thesis from Tampere University on gacha monetization mechanics.

According to the same study, gacha systems generally follow one basic rule: the user is given a random virtual item or reward after investing a specified amount of virtual currency. Since the mechanism remains random even after creating a new account, it is not a guaranteed key to success.

A Brief History of Gacha Monetization and Why Rerolling Became Widespread

According to a thesis from Uppsala University, gacha-based monetization in online multiplayer games continued to evolve between 2005 and 2025, proving that it isn’t a new trend but a mature monetization model that has undergone many changes. It began as a random-item strategy in games from East Asia and gradually spread to freemium mobile games worldwide, according to a paper from the DiGRA Digital Library on gacha games in East-Asian transmedia franchises.

Over time, player communities learned to exploit the new-account mechanism for free resources, causing reroll culture to spread as a way to save time and money instead of grinding from scratch.

Misconception #1: Rerolling Is a Guaranteed Key to Success

One of the most common misconceptions about rerolling in mobile gacha games is the belief that if you reroll repeatedly, you’re bound to get the top-tier character. In reality, every pull remains random, and there is a built-in chance you won’t get what you want no matter how many times you’ve rerolled.

According to the Journal of Electronic Commerce Research, there is a theoretical model of how free-to-play mobile game providers benefit from the gacha strategy, since randomized rewards are not merely a cosmetic detail but a design that drives spending and retention. This means the gacha mechanism itself is designed to remain unpredictable, no matter how many times a player rerolls.

Rerolling is not a cheat code that defeats the randomness of the gacha system, but merely a way to increase your number of chances.

In the Philippines, well-known games such as AFK Arena and Summoners War both have pity systems that prove a top-tier result is never simply guaranteed, no matter how many new accounts a player creates.

Misconception #2: Rerolling Has No Real Cost

It’s Time and Data You Lose, Not Just Money

Another major misconception is that creating multiple accounts has no impact since guest accounts are free anyway. But there is a real cost in time, data usage, and even in managing multiple emails or device slots, especially if the game has a large file size. According to the same study from the Journal of Electronic Commerce Research, the gacha strategy is also designed to encourage longer engagement time, so even if rerolling doesn’t cost cash, it still carries an opportunity cost.

Farming Isn’t Off-Limits Either, Compared to Rerolling

Instead of focusing solely on rerolling, some players choose to farm resources within the game as an alternative strategy that doesn’t require repeatedly creating accounts.

Misconception #3: The Process Is the Same for Every Gacha Game

Many players use the same strategy across all games, but each system is different. For example, Blue Archive is quicker to reroll thanks to its supportive guest account system, while Wuthering Waves has a Starter Banner that guarantees a 5-star character within the first 50 pulls even without repeated rerolling. Meanwhile, new titles such as Aniimo, expected to launch on PC, PS5, and Xbox on September 16, 2026 and on iOS/Android on September 23, 2026, may have entirely different mechanics.

If you’re also interested in other mobile strategy games that don’t rely on gacha mechanics, you can also read the guide on optimizing sensitivity and HUD settings in mobile FPS for another aspect of competitive mobile gaming.

Misconception #4: Loot Boxes and Gacha Mechanics Are Unregulated

Another outdated assumption that no longer holds true in 2026 is the belief that gacha and loot box systems have no laws or guidelines governing them. In fact, regulation is now stricter than ever. According to an enforcement notice from the UK Advertising Standards Authority, app store listings must now clearly disclose whether a mobile game contains loot boxes purchasable with real money or virtual currency before a player even downloads it.

According to the same regulator, generic labels such as “Offers In-App Purchases” are no longer sufficient explanation; a clearer statement such as “Includes random-item purchases” or “Contains loot boxes” is required. This regulator also began active monitoring on May 26, 2026, following targeted enforcement against violators. In addition, age classifications for games with paid random items have also changed, with a minimum PEGI 16 rating now given to any game that sells loot boxes, card packs, gacha pulls, or prize wheels, according to a report on PEGI rating enforcement in 2026.

Misconception #5: Gacha Spending Has No Real-Life Impact on Filipino Gamers

Some believe gacha spending has only a small impact since the transactions are “micro” in nature. But according to the same DLSU study, there is a wide range of spending behavior among Filipino gacha players: 26.8% of respondents spend Php 100 to 299 per occasion, 23.2% spend Php 300 to 499, while 17.1% spend more than Php 1,000. This means the impact of repeated micro-spending is not small when added up over a month or a year.

Meanwhile, 31.7% of respondents said they spend only once a year, 29.3% every other month, and 28% monthly, according to the same study. This shows that not all players spend regularly, so it’s important not to believe the blanket statement that “all gacha players are always spending.”

Misconception #6: The Legitimacy Narrative Is the Same Across All Gacha Communities

Within player communities, a social belief can form that heavy spending is normal and acceptable simply because it’s common practice. According to a study from the DiGRA Digital Library on the Genshin Impact community, it examines how players legitimize gacha monetization through user-generated content, which may explain why some players aren’t critical of their own spending habits.

How Rerolling Should Really Be Approached in 2026

Instead of blindly following the “always reroll” mentality, it’s more practical to first understand each game’s specific mechanics. For example, in Blue Archive, it’s quick to use the guest account system for rerolling, while in Wuthering Waves, it’s better to simply rely on the guaranteed 5-star within the first 50 pulls instead of repeatedly creating accounts. For upcoming games like Raven2, which is launching a new server called ZERO on September 15, 2026, it’s important to first read the official description of the starter mechanics before starting the rerolling process.

It’s also worth noting that some new titles are moving away from the gacha model altogether. Another Eden Begins, launching on September 17, 2026 on Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam, has explicitly removed gacha and microtransactions, replacing them with a traditional offline JRPG model. This shows that not every new game on the market still relies on rerolling as a core experience.

For those wanting to explore other types of games not centered on gacha, there are also options like co-op puzzle games you can play with friends as an alternative mobile gaming experience.

Frequently Asked Questions About Rerolling in Gacha Games

Is rerolling legal in mobile gacha games?

Creating a new account to reroll is generally not illegal, but it may violate the terms of service of some games if you create multiple guest accounts at once. This is a separate issue from the legal classification of loot boxes, which falls under different regulations as explained by the UK Advertising Standards Authority.

How long should the proper rerolling process take?

It depends on the game. For titles with a guest account system like Blue Archive, the process is quick. For others, you first need to finish the tutorial and a few early missions before receiving the free summons, as new players do in Genshin Impact before pulling.

Is rerolling always better than just progressing on one account?

Not always. Some games already offer a sufficient starter guarantee, such as Wuthering Waves, where there’s no need to waste a lot of time rerolling since a 5-star character is guaranteed within the first 50 pulls.

Why are some new games removing the gacha system?

Some developers choose to use a traditional purchase model instead of random-item monetization, as was done with Another Eden Begins, to give players a more predictable gaming experience without worrying about random outcomes.

Is gacha a risk to your wallet even with a small initial spend?

It’s possible, since according to the DLSU study, there is a segment of players who spend more than Php 1,000 per occasion, and when repeated micro-spending is added up over several months, it can become a significant total amount.

Are there policies on loot box disclosure in the Philippines?

Based on available data, guidelines are clearer in regions like the United Kingdom through ASA enforcement, while the specific local regulations in the Philippines still need to be verified with authorities there.

Limitations of This Information

The spending behavior data used here comes from an academic study with only 82 participants from DLSU, so the sample size is limited and does not represent all Filipino gacha players. Likewise, the loot box disclosure regulations mentioned are specific to the United Kingdom, so their application in the Philippines may differ depending on local law.

Key Takeaways

• Rerolling is not a guaranteed success since every pull remains random no matter how many new accounts you create.
• Rerolling has a real cost in time and data even though guest accounts are free.
• Each game’s reroll mechanism differs, such as Blue Archive’s guest account system compared to Wuthering Waves’ Starter Banner.
• Loot box disclosure and age rating regulations have become stricter in regions like the United Kingdom starting in 2026.
• Filipino gacha players show a wide range of spending behavior according to the DLSU study, so not everyone carries the same level of spending risk.

Sources

• UK ad regulator issues Enforcement Notice targeting loot boxes — Game Developer — retrieved September 14, 2026
• Monetization mechanisms in gacha games: The behavioral dimension — ScienceDirect — retrieved September 14, 2026
• A Formal Analysis of Gacha Mechanics in Online Multiplayer Games — Uppsala University — retrieved September 14, 2026
• Gacha Games in East-Asian Transmedia Franchises — DiGRA Digital Library — retrieved September 14, 2026
• The Force of Japanese-styled Gacha Games on Spending — De La Salle University Repository — retrieved September 14, 2026
• Gacha monetization mechanics: Customizable simulator — Tampere University — retrieved September 14, 2026
• How Genshin Impact Players Legitimize Gacha Monetization — DiGRA Digital Library — retrieved September 14, 2026
• Implementing Stochastic Products Selling in Mobile Games: Is Gacha Just Gambling? — Journal of Electronic Commerce Research — retrieved September 14, 2026
• Loot Boxes Get PEGI 16 Rating as EU Probes Activision — retrieved September 14, 2026