New Animal Crossing-like Floatopia from Marvel Rivals dev is likely a free-to-play gacha game, and fans aren't happy: "Looks cute, but I'm not playing"

Floatopia reveal trailer screenshot showing a chibi-style girl with blue hair and a straw hat falling among glowing yellow stars, her eyes wide and expression joyful — (Image credit: NetEase Games)

Revealed near the end of Gamescom Opening Night Live 2024, NetEase Games' upcoming sim Floatopia is adorable - but it seems it's a free-to-play game with gacha, something that many excited fans aren't exactly ecstatic about.

Recently, it feels as though gacha has become the bane of my existence - every wholesome game with vibrant visuals, like Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp or Genshin Impact, is plagued by "optional" in-app purchases. With my own lack of self-control, optional items - whether new characters or cosmetics - never truly feel all that optional. When I saw Floatopia during last night's showcase, I felt hopeful - but that hope was quickly shot down.

As I spotted on Floatopia's official website while registering my interest in the sim, the game includes a currency dubbed "Gacha Tickets" which is used for "standard and pick-up gacha." While I have no idea what either of those is just yet, I sure know what gacha means - and other fans have picked up on this, too. A new Reddit thread highlights thoughts similar to my own: "This is super cute! But I wish it wasn't a gacha."

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Get Ready For Floatopia c: from r/CozyGamers

One comment reads: "Hate gacha. Hate gambling." Another words the problem with gacha, especially within the wholesome gaming community, perfectly: "I don't think gambling has a place in cozy gaming … This is just really slimy behavior and incredibly concerning to see in the cozy community." As sad as I am to say it, I agree - although I doubt I'll be able to stay away from Floatopia's cutesy charm personally.

Others are open about the fact that they're not going to engage with the game, though: "Looks cute, but I'm not playing a gacha game." Elsewhere, someone echoes that same sentiment - "I was soooooo excited for this but I refuse to play it if it's gacha." There's no telling yet what direction NetEase Games will take in the end, though - after all, Floatopia doesn't even have a solid release date. Until then, I'm keeping my fingers crossed for minimal optional purchases.

Need a quick cozy fix? Here are games like Stardew Valley to kick back and unwind with.

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After spending years with her head in various fantastical realms' clouds, Anna studied English Literature and then Medieval History at the University of Edinburgh, going on to specialize in narrative design and video game journalism as a writer. She has written for various publications since her postgraduate studies, including Dexerto, Fanbyte, GameSpot, IGN, PCGamesN, and more. When she's not frantically trying to form words into coherent sentences, she's probably daydreaming about becoming a fairy druid and befriending every animal or she's spending a thousand (more) hours traversing the Underdark in Baldur's Gate 3. If you spot her away from her PC, you'll always find Anna with a fantasy book, a handheld video game console of some sort, and a Tamagotchi or two on hand.