Image source: Pop Mart
Ever pulled for your favorite character in Genshin Impact only to get a 3-star weapon instead? Or spent countless hours looting in every settlements in Once Human in hope of getting the furniture formulas you haven’t gotten yet? The thrill of the unknown, the rush of anticipation, and the satisfaction of finally getting what you want—this is what keeps us coming back for more. But what if that excitement extended beyond gaming screens into the real world? Welcome to the addictive world of Pop Mart.
Pop Mart has taken the collectible toy market by storm, turning blind boxes into a global phenomenon. Not only their physical stores are typically crowded, even their official online store on Shopee has amassed hundreds of thousands of followers and consistently sells tens of thousands of units each month.
Much like loot boxes in gaming, Pop Mart taps into the psychology of surprise mechanics, enticing collectors with the promise of rare and exclusive figures. The chase for these elusive treasures mirrors the banner pull system in free-to-play games like Honkai: Star Rail and Genshin Impact. Players (or in this case, collectors) find themselves repeatedly rolling the dice in the hopes of scoring a highly sought-after characters or weapons.
Personally, I’m not much of a collector in real life anymore. I’ve been trying to embrace minimalism instead of hoarding things, and let’s be honest—space is always an issue. As a practical spender, I’ve never quite understood why people are willing to spend so much on mass-produced figurines. I appreciate arts and crafts, so I don’t mind supporting handcrafted or handmade items, but factory-made collectibles just don’t appeal to me in the same way.
That said, after speaking to some family and friends who are obsessed with Pop Mart and blind boxes, I started to see the appeal. As a gamer, I can completely relate now. After all, I’ve spent money pulling for characters in Genshin Impact and purchasing loot boxes in games like Undawn and Once Human, hoping to score the latest cool skins. The thrill of getting something rare is universal, whether in a digital game or a real-life blind box.
The Thrill of the Unknown
There’s something undeniably exciting about the element of chance. The moment before you rip open a blind box or hit the “Wish” button in Genshin Impact is filled with anticipation. Will you get exactly what you wanted, or will you have to try again (also means spending more money)? That brief, heart-racing moment before the reveal is what keeps so many people hooked. It’s the same feeling gamblers chase in casinos, and it’s the psychological backbone of loot boxes in gaming. That’s how game developers make money.
For many collectors, Pop Mart isn’t just about owning cute figurines and I gotta say that some are not even cute at all and downright weird-looking. But, it’s about the dopamine rush that comes with each unboxing. The randomness makes each purchase feel like a mini-adventure. Even if you end up with a duplicate or something you didn’t particularly want, the excitement of trying again often overrides the disappointment. This is why many people justify “just one more box” or “just one more pull.”
Personally, while I don’t indulge in blind boxes myself, I can see why the thrill is addictive. This is the in-game purchasing behaviour that I studied when I was doing my doctorate. I didn’t understand it until I’ve felt that same rush when hoping for a limited-time character in Genshin Impact or trying to score a sleek new outfit in MMORPGs. Even though I know it’s all probability and luck, the emotional high of a successful pull is enough to keep me coming back. This sense of unpredictability taps into something primal, which is our desire for reward and novelty. And in both gaming and collectibles, that feeling is what drives engagement and repeat purchases.
The Psychology of Surprise Mechanics
At the core of both blind boxes and gacha games is the concept of variable-ratio reinforcement, a psychological principle that makes reward systems highly addictive. This is the same mechanism used in gambling, where unpredictable rewards make people more likely to keep trying. The uncertainty of whether you’ll get something rare makes the moment of winning even more satisfying.
Game developers and collectible toy companies alike understand this well. By strategically designing rarity levels such as ultra-rare figurines or limited-edition character skins, companies ensure that people stay engaged, always hoping for that elusive prize. Pop Mart encourages this behavior by offering special chases and secret figures, further fueling the “gotta collect them all” mentality.
What’s interesting is that even when people don’t get what they want, they often feel compelled to keep going. The investment fallacy (also known as the sunk-cost fallacy) plays a huge role here. After spending money on multiple boxes or rolls, it’s hard to stop without getting something worthwhile.
Are We Justified in the Chase?
At the end of the day, whether it’s a blind box or a gacha pull, it all comes down to personal enjoyment. If collecting brings you happiness, and you can afford the hobby, there’s nothing inherently wrong with indulging in it. However, it’s always good to be mindful of spending habits—companies are designed to keep you hooked, after all.
For me, I might not be jumping into Pop Mart anytime soon, but I can respect the thrill that comes with it. Just remember to enjoy the chase—but not let the chase control you.
