Christmas Lane

 

Gemma Cleanslate's search for Christmas places continues. For today's article, she looked at Christmas Lane. The place boasted plenty of decor, outdoor and indoor, plus gachas and an advent calendar. She also gave a short mention about the Christmas Shop and Hop. 

 

Read Gemma's article in Places. 

 

News and Commentary: More on The Return of Gachas

 

 It was almost four years ago on August 2021 when Linden Lab announced they were banning the popular method of shopping known as gachas. It was one of the Lab's more controversial moves that had a divided reaction among the residents. For those who don't know, gachas in Second Life refers to a method of selling items, transferable and no-copy, through a machine which delivers one of a set of goods at random, usually a number of common ones, and a few uncommon and rare ones. 

 

It's hard to say when gachas got started in our virtual world, but the method eventually became quite popular. If you got one you didn't like, you could try again and give the first one away, or sell it. There were groups for the purpose of trading gacha items. And there were popular events with hundreds of gatcha items available for sale, such as the Gacha Guild and the Arcade Gacha. 

But gachas were not popular with everyone. Because that what the buyer got was random, there were charges they were basically a form of gambling. And with people wanting that rare item, it wasn't hard to imagine someone spending hundreds, thousands maybe, just to get it. So there were allegations the way gachas were sold enticed people to spend and spend and spend. So there were people demanding the Lab ban them. 

 

Outside events however would eventually lead the Lab to take action. Some games began offering loot crates which could not only be earned by gameplay, but purchase, such as EA's Battlefront II, which soon prompted investigation and calls for action by Government officials. When Linden Lab announced it was banning gachas, it did so citing "a changing regulatory climate." A few days ago, they would say, "regulatory guidelines emerging globally at the time." While there were no complaints from the US Government, or any other government, about gachas, it's likely the Lab's lawyers cautioned them that the way the legal winds were blowing to expect changes in the law. 

The reaction from the residents was divided. Many cheered the Lab, saying things along the lines of "it's about time this addictive practice was stopped!" Others booed it, saying they loved shopping for them and trading them, or just thought the move was unnecessary.. Some builders were saying they depended on gachas to make their living in SL and felt this would cripple them. The two big gacha events, The Gacha Guild and Arcade Gacha, stayed active for a few more years. But the Gacha Guild, later renamed just The Guild, would announce it's closing on Deceomber 2022. The  Arcade Gacha is supposedly still going, but it's blog had it's last entry on Sept 2022. 

But over time, there was change. I began noticing some vendors in which had a selection of items offered at random, including a couple uncommon ones, but the next one after the current one available for purchase was displayed. It was clearly based on the gachas, though not a true one. And finally several months ago in October 2024, Linden Lab announced a partial reversal of it's gacha ban. The catch though was that the items couldn't be transferable. That action was greeted without enthusiasm, gacha fans saying part of the fun was being able to trade them. 

And now, as of Tuesday May 6, the Lab is allowing gachas back in full, transferable and all. 

We are excited to share some important news that will bring renewed opportunities and creativity to our vibrant virtual world.  Effective immediately, Gacha is once again fully allowed as a content creation and sales mechanic in Second Life.

Linden Lab would say, "The decision to prohibit Gacha in 2021 was following regulatory guidelines emerging globally at the time.  We have continued to evaluate what steps we can take to support creative freedom while also ensuring compliance with evolving legal frameworks, which led to the recent changes announced in 2024. Since then, the regulatory landscape surrounding Gacha systems has further shifted to the point where Gacha can be confidently reintroduced under current prevailing guidance."

The Lab has asked gacha merchants to do three things, "Clearly communicate Gacha mechanics and contents," to price gacha items reasonably, and "avoid deceptive practices or 'pay-to-win' designs" that would damage trust of gacha shoppers. 

The subject quickly made the official forums on (this thread), and once again the reaction of the residents was divided, "Addictive gameplay is addictive gameplay." "This is excellent news." It may be this is one subject the residents will never really agree on.

 

But in any event, gachas are back. Now it's up to the residents to vote with their wallets.

 

Bixyl Shuftan

 

Ad: Charlee's Gachas

 

Looking for a place to get some gachas? Well, for some at bargain prices, check out Charlee's Gachas. You'll find that the variety is large, and the prices are small. From companion pets like mice and pandas and bats, to jewelry, to furniture, you'll find plenty of products at bargain prices.  

To start browsing the Marketplace store, Click Here. 

 

Linden Lab Partially Reverses Gacha Ban, New Gachas Must Not Be Transferable

 

Linden Lab is changing it's policy on gachas. They're allowed again, but ...

Many residents will remember gachas, the popular items that were sold on machines dispensing one of a number of items at random and people buying them up, often to get rare items that could be traded or sold for quite a bit of cash. There were events based around them such as the twice a year Gacha Guild, and there were groups dedicated to trading and selling gachas. But as popular as they were, they also had plenty of critics, people complaining they had an addictive nature. And in August 2021, to the delight of their critics and to the shock and dismay of their fans, Linden Lab announced they were banning gachas "due to a changing regulatory climate."

On Tuesday October 10, Linden Lab announced they had updated their policy, saying they were lifting the "general prohibition" on them. But, there was a catch. People can set up gacha machines that gave out items like they did before the ban, BUT, unlike the goods before the ban, they can not be transferable. New gacha items can not be resold. 

In 2021, we implemented a general prohibition on gachas to align with global regulatory concerns. Starting October 7, 2024, we are lifting this prohibition. Residents can once again engage in gacha-based sales, but with a key new rule: gacha items, including the boxes or containers they come in, must not be transferable. This means that once you purchase a gacha item, it is yours and cannot be passed on to other users.

Linden Lab would go on to say breedables and games of skill were unaffected by this policy change, the latter as long as the prize was not transferable. They would also post an entry on the Second Life Wiki about the change (link). In the FAQ, they would state the reason they were doing a partial reversal was because "he latest changes in the legal climate related to gachas and loot boxes have given us an opportunity to lessen the formerly more restrictive policy."

In the forums, reaction was mixed.  Some were happy to have Gachas coming back. Others felt this was a disappointment, that allowing gachas back but not transferable was like allowing trading cards but banning the ability to trade them. And others felt any gacha was bad, transferable or not, as they were still addictive. One interesting comment was that this partial reversal of the ban "significantly harms the secondary resale economy."

So how does this affect the machines that resemble gachas but show what item is up for sale next, and the stores selling old gacha items. People in SL chat and the forums have been telling yours truly that this new policy doesn't affect them and they can continue as they have been, that the policies affect only gacha items created after the ban lift. 

To read the Lab's announcement in full, Click Here. 

Bixyl Shuftan

Ad: Charlee's Gachas

 

 

Looking for a place to get some gachas? Well, for some at bargain prices, check out Charlee's Gachas. You'll find that the variety is large, and the prices are small. From companion pets like mice and pandas and bats, to jewelry, to furniture, you'll find plenty of products at bargain prices.  

To start browsing the Marketplace store, Click Here.

 

Ad: Charlee's Gachas

 

 

 

 

Looking for a place to get some gachas? Well, for some at bargain prices, check out Charlee's Gachas. You'll find that the variety is large, and the prices are small. From companion pets like mice and pandas and bats, to jewelry, to furniture, you'll find plenty of products at bargain prices.  

To start browsing the Marketplace store, Click Here.

 

Ad: Charlee's Gachas

 

Looking for a place to get some gachas? Well, for some at bargain prices, check out Charlee's Gachas. You'll find that the variety is large, and the prices are small. From companion pets like mice and pandas and bats, to jewelry, to furniture, you'll find plenty of products at bargain prices.  

To start browsing the Marketplace store, Click Here. 

 

 

Ad: Charlee's Gachas

 

 

 Looking for a place to get some gachas? Well, for some at bargain prices, check out Charlee's Gachas. You'll find that the variety is large, and the prices are small.

 

For Halloween, there are a number of items you can get. You can find pet baby bats.  You can get a spooky cake. You can get a Black Widow top. Or perhaps get a trick or treat teddy bear. 

To start browsing the Marketplace store, Click Here. 

Interview with Goddess (ShandyLand Resident)

 

The Newser recently interviewed Goddess (ShandyLand Resident). She's frequently seen in the Deathlands area. But she's also an accomplished content creator, and has a store and shopping area of her own, as well as her own club, Club GO. I recently had a chat with her, and she had much to say.

Read the interview in People. 

"Bash For The Bros" Gacha Sale And Relay Benefit

High above the American Cancer Society 2 sim, there's a gacha fundraiser to benefit the Relay, "Bash For the Bros." Starting yesterday, Thursday November 18, it continues to Sunday November 21.

There are numerous items on sale, from paws and tails, to vehicles, to small homes, to beds, to holiday nick-nacks, and many more. "Common" items are priced at 25 Lindens, "Rare" ones are priced at 50 Lindens.

Among the activities are a photo contest, and musicians and other performances coming by every day. 

Friday Nov 19 : 5-6 PM and 6-7 PM
Saturday Nov 20 : 1 to 5 PM, three DJs
Sunday Nov 21 : 2PM Comedic Impressions, 2:30 PM Standup Comedy, 3PM

 http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/American%20Cancer%20Society2/110/157/2801
 

The Gacha Ban From Two Owners' Points of View

 

After the end of the month, the gacha ban ordered by Linden Lab will take effect. The end of an era of Second Life shopping, the ban is being cheered by some, and cursed by others. But how will this affect the owners? The Newser reached out for answers, and two people who make money through gacha machines responded on how the ban will affect them.

Read more in Design.
 

Reader Submitted Commentary: Things To Do About The Gacha Ban

 
As everybody knows, Linden Lab plans to ban gacha prize machines later this month. LL says that the gacha ban, is because of legislation in other countries. If that were so, then they would confine gacha prize machines on islands. They do that with games of skill, such as Zyngo. In the U.S., in many states, games of skill are not legal. People living in those states, can't go to those islands. So, why is LL banning gacha prize machines? That is because of one of the new owners. He doesn't like gacha prize machines. He thinks that people that play gacha, are being cheated. So he, and perhaps one of the other new owners, have decided to ban gacha prize machines.

The Lindens have closed the forum thread about the gacha prize machine ban. So, what can be done? If you have twitter, then send the Lindens a message on twitter. But don't cuss, or send any nasty messages. If you play the gacha machine, tell them, and tell them what you think of the ban. Do you sell your gacha prizes? If you do, tell them, and tell them how much you make per month selling gachas. Do you make the gacha prizes? If you do, then tell them that. And tell them how much you make per month, making the prizes. You can also email the Lindens. But no name calling, or nasty language.  But do be firm, and do let them know what you think.

Now, what else can be done? Email, or send a tweet to the news media. I don't mean just the SL news media. I emailed Fox News. You might email your local paper, or your local radio, or TV station. Let them know about the gacha prize machine ban. Let them know what you think about the ban. You could still email the SL news media. One is the SL Newser. Here is the link to the website.  http://slnewser.blogspot.com/

There is something else that can be done. That is to file a lawsuit. That should be done last. The creators need to get together, and file a class action lawsuit. The resellers need to get together, and also file a class action lawsuit. Chances of winning is slim. But here in the U.S., we don't have loser pays laws. You sue somebody, and you lose, you don't have to pay. LL has been sued, and has lost. One time they got sued by Marc Woebegone, the case was settled out of court. Another time, Stoker Serpentine sued LL. He made sex beds, and made them transfer, no copy. Somebody found away to copy the sex beds during a sim restart. Stroker sued, and it was settled.

My store has 7 gacha prize machines. The items were made by FeelGood Trip, and his ex wife. There's clothes, cellphones, buildings, and other items. The items are about 10 years old, or older.

Pass this note card out, and let everybody know. Also pass this out to other Gacha groups.

Kelvin R. Throop
 

News and Commentary: Of The Gacha Ban

 
Linden Lab's move to ban gachas has been among their most controversial decisions in Second Life history. Gachas have been a popular way of selling goods. But they've also had no shortage of harsh critics. The ban brought out much criticism to the Lab, "Why shut down these business people?" But it also got a lot of cheers, "It's about time. They should have been gone a long time ago."

The move has been compared to the gambling ban in 2007 when Linden Lab ordered obvious games of chance, at least those that required Linden dollars to play for a chance to get a bigger cash return, taken down. The reasons today are pretty obvious - they were against California law, which Linden Lab falls under. Probably the biggest criticism was that the Lab only gave the operators 48 hours to shut down.

A number of critics of gachas claim they're little more than gambling themselves, that in order to get the prized rare item, people have to spend an unknown number of Lindens to get it. And therefore should fall under laws against gambling. Another comparison is to the "Lootboxes" of various games, among the most infamous examples being the ones on Battlefront II that made the game which already cost money to buy a "pay to win" one. Another example was Overwatch, in which the items in the crates didn't affect gameplay, but critics charged the desire for rare ones would be an incentive for players, notably minors, to spend money to purchase one. Several countries have passed laws or debated proposed laws against them.

In my opinion, there is another move by Linden Lab that more closely resembles it's gacha ban, it's May 2013 move to shut down independent Linden dollar exchangers. This move came two months following the US Treasury Department's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network issuing a statement of guidelines on virtual currency, which were interpreted by one blogger as Linden Lab having to register with FinCEN to avoid steep penalties. To those familiar with the blogger's article, it did seem the Lab paniced and responded with a ban. But to the Lab's surprise, a number of residents outside the US stated they'd have to stop coming to Second Life as they now had no means to buy Linden dollars. So the Lab partially rescinded the ban, and the exchangers willing to be licensed by the Lab could do business again. But two years later, the Lab would once again ban them. This time, they had made it easier for Non-US residents to buy Linden dollars, and so the third-party Linden exchanger ban was for good.

There was a lawsuit by California against Apple concerning games from it's app store in which lootboxes were involved, but it was dropped. So as Second Life is under California law, it's under no obligation legally to drop them. Might access to Second Life be blocked in countries that ban lootboxes? Unlikely as to my knowledge, no country has complained to Linden Lab about it's gachas, including those with laws against lootboxes. So it seems instead of waiting until an actual complaint in which it could either fight in court or comply, it decided to jump the gun and ban the games months, perhaps over a year, before any serious challenge was mounted. Considering that gacha machine owners were given just 30 days to transition, either there's something going on behind the scenes only the Lab knows, or once again the Lab made a panic move in anticipation government actions.

Probably one more distinction between Second Life gachas and lootboxes is that there's no way, at least legitimately, a young child can put cash into an SL gacha. No one under 13 is allowed at all. While 13-15 year olds can come on, they need a sponsor organization and are limited only to the few sims owned by that sponsor. Accounts belonging to 16 and 17 year olds, under the rules they are limited to General-rated sims. If the Lab really was feeling pressured to "do something," limiting gacha machines to Mature and Adult rated sims would have been a much less drastic action. While a minor could always lie about their age and claim to be 18, that's already a banable offense.

Yes, a lot of people hate gachas. There's no shortage of people going virtually broke trying to get that one rare item they want. And if people go onto Marketplace to try to find it, some can only find only a few at huge prices. But there are ways to deal with these problems rather than a heavy-handed ban.

So what effect will the gacha ban have on Second Life? Some of the gacha merchants will do doubt find other ways to sell their products. Some may decide they'll be working harder for less money and close up shop. Two of the biggest gacha events, The Arcade and Gacha have already announced they're continuing. But some lesser known ones may find trouble attracting clients. 

Time will tell.

On a final note, I've occasionally played gachas myself. If I ever got what I didn't much care for, well, maybe someone might like it for a gift. And once in a while the rare items I managed to get became gifts as well.

Sources: Screenrant, Wikipedia, Bloomberg Law, gamesindustry.biz

Bixyl Shuftan

"Additional FAQs" For Gacha Ban Announcement

 
On Thursday August 5, Linden Lab expanded their list of Frequently Asked Questions added at the end of their announcement on Monday that Gacha machines were to be banned. The FAQ was first added on Tuesday August 3.

*  *  *  *  *
 
Q:  Should any newly developed sales mechanism or newly created items be called “gacha” going forward?

A:  No, as we would like to eliminate any confusion with the usage of the term going forward.

Q:  Is a game that requires skill to win the prize you want permitted going forward?  For example, you throw a dart and you must hit a certain number to get the prize corresponding to that number.

A:  This would need to go through the Skilled Game review process and be presented in a Skilled Gaming region, if approved.

Q:  I am selling an item that is known, paid for and delivered to a purchaser, and for each purchaser they are entered into a prize drawing where randomly selected people who bought the item may receive a rare item as a result of the drawing, is this permitted?

A:  You must also provide a free, concise and easy way for anyone to enter into the random drawing with an equal chance to win.

Q:  Can I sell an item, and also then include an unknown random item attached as a bonus? For example, Like a buy one, get one free (BOGO), but the free item is the random/unknown item.

A:  No

Q:  Could a “conveyor belt” system work?  

Example:  The vendor board selects an item at random and displays it for purchase.  That item remains on display and available for purchase until a buyer touches the vendor which locks it to them for purchase.  This allowed the buyer to purchase the item and deliver it.  The vendor unlocks and then selects another item at random and displays it for purchase and the cycle repeats.

Example image here and credit to Nadi Vemo for the approved vendor design.

A:  Yes, as long as the item currently being purchased is known. Note however that you should discontinue the use of the “gacha” term for these sales.

Q:  But what about breedables (again)?

A:  If you buy a brown cat, and a blue cat (as examples), as long as you knew you were getting a brown cat and a blue cat at the time of sale, this is acceptable at the present including the various unknown traits they may come with or develop.  Secondarily, when those cats make little kittens with unknown outcomes, this is also acceptable.  Lastly, the resale of any breedables will require at the time of purchase that the purchaser knows what they are purchasing at the root level (for example, it is a blue cat).  

Q:  What about my specific idea, you didn’t cover it here?

A:  We wish we could cover all the great ideas we’ve seen proposed to date. Sadly we can’t address them all and if there are any questions or proposed ideas that would suggest any other permutations on the policy, we recommend a simple and thoughtful approach to stay within the boundaries of the policy.  Failing that, please feel free to contact customer support.
 
*  *  *  *  *

Stay tuned for further developments
 

Arcade Gacha, Gacha Guild, To Continue Despite Gacha Ban

 
Linden Lab's announcement on Monday that they would be banning gacha machines from Second Life at the start of next month had people asking what would happen to the various merchants and events that depend on these sales for their business. Of the events, two of the largest are the Arcade Gacha and the Gacha Guild. So no doubt a number were wondering what would happen to them. Would they fold, or try to change and stay?

According to announcements from them, both plan to continue.

On Facebook, Arcade Gacha would post that while their next event would be called off due to lack of time to prepare, their plans were "to re-imagine the event and return strong."

Just like you, we've been rocked by Linden Lab's recent decision to ban gacha. For the past 9 years, gacha's been the backbone of Arcade's events, and we're truly sad to see it go. Due to LL's change and short notice to comply, we've decided to cancel September's upcoming round. This pause provides our team the much-needed time to re-imagine the event and return strong. We'll be in touch soon and look forward to seeing you when The (ALL NEW) Arcade re-opens!

The Gacha Guild had both announcements that they would be continuing, by their director Nams (Nama Gearz) with an announcement in the inworld group.

Gachas may be going away but we are not! Though a lot of changes will have to be made in the coming days and we are prepared to do what it takes to keep the event rolling. .Gacha Guild. will now be called simply .The Guild. going forward as well.

That's our tldr, but the full letter to everyone goes more in depth with how we're going to proceed. Please have a look and we'll see you in October!  

"The letter" was an open letter on the Gacha Guild website. It stated for October, it would just sell items the ordinary way "it’ll just be straightforward, regular sales" rather than include any new systems designed to get around the gacha ban. "It’s likely such systems are already being developed by many SL residents as we speak. Time will tell if those systems will be 100% approved by Linden Labs, and until then, they will not be allowed for use in the event."

"The amazing work designers make will not be diminished because they’re not in gacha form and will be every bit as spectacular as they always have been."

So for the two largest gacha events in Second Life, the ban does not mean the end, but change.

Hat Tip: Daniel Voyager, Matoazma Kazyanenko

Bixyl Shuftan
 

Linden Lab Develops FAQ Addition to Gacha Ban Announcement

 
As anticipated, Linden Lab has come up with a "Frequently Asked Questions" in regards to their gacha machine ban. It has been added to their announcement, appearing below it.

Q:  Is it possible to extend the policy deadline?

A:  We are sorry that we are not able to further extend the policy deadline.  However, we have been able to extend the enforcement of the policy change an additional 30 days.  To be clear, starting on September 1 we expect gacha as a sales mechanism to cease. However we will start with warnings, and any enforcement of the policy as it would be applied on an account will not begin until after September 30.

Q:  How are breedables impacted by this policy change?

A:  This current policy change and deadline does not apply to breedables or other life simulation products.  At the present we are working with external counsel on the subject of breedables.  If any action is required we will make a separate announcement and have a separate timeline associated with it.

Q:  Will popular games like 7seas be impacted by this policy change?

A:  No, because the purchase of bait to go “fishing” is a purchase being made of a known item, and also the fish you catch while playing the game are non-transferable.  To be clear, if they are not currently, they must be going forward.

Q: How are subscription boxes affected?

A: Subscription boxes are not affected as long as all subscribers are getting the same content box. Different items being sent to different subscribers on a chance basis is not allowed.

Q:  How are Linden Homes affected?

A: Linden Homes are not impacted by this policy change.  Linden Lab owns the homes and they are not transferable.   

Linden Lab stated this list of questions will likely be updated as time goes on.
 

Patch Linden Says More About Upcoming Gacha Ban

 

When Linden Lab announced they would be banning gacha machines in Second Life, there was quite an avalanche of responses on the forum thread created for the topic. Some were in support of the ban, some had mixed opinions, and many opposed it, sometimes strongly. Eventually Patch Linden saw the need to step up and offer a little further explanation.

I wanted to address a few themes I'm seeing so far.   

 One of the bigger one's is 'why'?   As we mentioned in the post, the regulatory climate around these sorts of selling mechanisms abroad have been under scrutiny for some time, as many have also already mentioned.  This includes the formation of some precedence already in place.  We did not make this decision without a lot of thought on the impact this has and sadly we know how burdensome this can be for many.  Through legal guidance, we are giving as much notice as we possibly can, but we also understand that it may not be enough is all cases.  While we will begin enforcement on September 1, we will not start this out with an aggressive approach.  Your account will not be at risk on a first offense basis.  Please don't take that as an opportunity to break the rules until you get caught, but we are committed to taking a proactive approach to any enforcement.

Next, is some of the comments on the mechanism or the gacha machines themselves.  It is the act of paying for something and in return the item/thing you receive back is based on chance.  The level of chance does not matter, or if you disclose it, including the ratios, percentages, etc, if the output is unknown (chance based in any way), that combination of mechanisms is what will be prohibited moving forward.

I have seen some interesting counter-points to how to handle the sales of the content themselves.  Of course any already purchased gachas will continue to be able to be re-sold by resellers so long as the sales mechanism doesn't use a chance based outcome to give you the item.  Limited quantity items is another that would be perfectly ok to do, so long as the item being represented for purchase is what you receive upon purchase.

Stay tuned for more information as it comes in.

Bixyl Shuftan
 

Breaking News: Gachas To Be Banned in Second Life

 
A popular way of selling items in Second Life is coming to an end.

In the official blog today, Linden Lab announced that it will soon be banning sales through gacha machines in Second Life. The reason given was "Due to a changing regulatory climate."

Due to a changing regulatory climate, we’ve had to make the difficult decision to sunset a very popular sales mechanism for content in Second Life.  It’s widely known as "gacha", and is defined by a chance-based outcome as a result of a payment.  

We know that creators plan their content releases far in advance and will need to re-tool their products, so to mitigate the impact to those affected, we are giving a 30-day grace period, until midnight SLT on August 31.  After that time, selling content via gacha machines will no longer be permitted in Second Life.  Enforcement won’t start until September 1; after that date an Abuse Report for “Gaming Policy Violation” will be the preferred method of reporting this content to Linden Lab.  

We will continue to allow any sales where a payment is given for a known item, which means that items that had been purchased as “gacha” will be allowed to be re-sold as long as the buyer knows in advance the item and quantity they will receive. We will, of course, still allow fatpacks, and any other currently-allowed distribution mechanisms.

We did not make this decision lightly and we understand that it will impact creators as well as event organizers and certainly the shoppers! We look forward to fun creative ways of engagement that will come instead.  

Probably most familiar with shopping in Second Life knows about gachas. Based on Japanese gashapon games, they've become very popular in Second Life. The way it works is a machine gives one of a number of items listed at random, often with one or more listed as uncommon or rare. Events such as the Arcade and the Gacha Guild have sprung up selling items through only gacha machines. While highly popular, this method of shopping has also been criticized, notably by those calling it a form of gambling.

The ban does not apply to the reselling of gacha items, which has also gotten a following in Second Life, with groups for the selling and trading of them.

This move will no doubt have a big impact on Second Life, as well as be the target of much criticism (and praise from gacha's critics).

The Lab created a thread on the forums about the upcoming ban and invited discussion, and already people are responding, both opposing the ban, supporting it, and asking questions.

Stay tuned for further developments on this big move by the Lab.

Bixyl Shuftan
 

Gacha Guild Event Almost Over

 

 The Spring Gacha Guild event is almost over. So if you want to take part in the event's Halftime Event, hop on over. Click just below the NPC Kitteh to get the hunt HUD, and click on him for instructions. 

  To get started with the event, you'll want to click the sign below me to get your HUD. It helps you keep track of your points! After putting that on you're ready to get hunting.
 You'll be looking for these scrap gears. The rustier ones are practically everywhere, but you can't expect the shiny new ones to be found so easily! You must be nearrr them to click them, and somehow magically they'll only give you points once a day.
  But no worries!
 They rrreset at midnight to give more points the next day. There's 15 super rusty cogs (10 points), 10 worn cogs (15 points) and 6 shiny new cogs (25 points) to find.
  Once you have enough points for the things you want, simply click the prrrize boards inside the airship, spend your points, and you'll be sent a wonderful gift for your grueling efforts. After this I would definitely recommend a nice nap. Maybe on a big pile of gold. Yeah, that sounds nice...

So how many points can you get in a day? A couple friends told me over they found over 400 points of gears. And they can be found in all kinds of places to more or less in plain sight to slightly out of the way. They're not just in the area opened for the halftime, but also in the vendor area and the area to explore around it.

The points you get can be exchanged for prizes on a board you'll find in a place opened by the halftime event. 

For some, the hunt is the real fun in the halftime event, and of course there's the exploring around in this steampunk-themed event with a few sky pirate ships. As for napping on a pile of gold, first you'll have to find it.

For hints, Click Here. 

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Dew%20Drop/176/163/1212 

Bixyl Shuftan
 

Gacha Guild Back in Second Life

 

The Gacha Guild is once again taking place in Second Life. This twice a year event offers numerous gacha items for sale. This event's theme is "Sailpunk: Steampunk and Sky Pirates." The setting was on a sky platform with a huge steel dragon curled around it. There were also some islands in the sky one could explore by flying over or walking over via a gangplank.

To those not familiar with what a gacha is, several items are up for sale in a vendor. When someone makes a purchase, they get one of the items at random. Some of the items may be uncommon or rare. The items can be given to others, though some such as avatars can only be before they're unpacked, and there are groups in which people offer to trade the items, including the Gacha Guild's own. 

The side area is fairly detailed, and offers some places to explore and see. One area is off-limits though, at least for now. Presumably it will open on Saturday March 13 when the Halftime Hunt begins. 

The event takes place on an Adult-rated sim, so child avatars are asked not to come. Despite the sim rating, no frisky behavior is permitted.

To learn more, check out the Gacha Guild website at https://gachaguild.com/ .

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Dew%20Drop/176/163/1212

Bixyl Shuftan