We hunt for a PS5 in a high-stakes capsule toy machine in Akihabara

Our reporter doesn’t have a problem though. He can stop anytime he wants.

The sneaky psychology behind capsule toys is how we all go in expecting to just take one turn of the handle, but usually end up doing it two or three times. It doesn’t even matter what comes out on that first spin, either you don’t get what you want and try again for it, or even when you do get what you want, you’ll try again because you’re on a roll.

Luckily, since these machines usually only charge a few hundred yen, it only amounts to a little harmless fun. But what if there were a capsule toy machine that charged 5,000 yen (US$45) a turn?

Such a scenario played out for our reporter Yuichiro Wasai while strolling through the otaku mecca of Akihabara. In front of one shop named Akiba Liberty was a machine labeled “5,000 yen Gacha”, with the promise that every turn gets a prize.

After inserting the money, the machine drops a capsule with a numbered ticket inside. This ticket can then be exchanged for the corresponding item in the display case inside the store. Yuichiro walked in and took a look at what was up for grabs.

A wide range of items were on display and the higher-end items had lower digit numbers, climaxing in a Nintendo Switch Lite for a number “1” ticket. To Yuichiro’s surprise a PC Engine (TurboGrafx-16) was even up for grabs if he could get a “2” from the machine, and tickets that simply say “prize” will receive a PS5 or Nintendo Switch.

Our writer knew that his chances of winning big were slim. This was more the game for zany YouTubers to drop a whole bunch of cash in exchange for likes and subscribers, not our humble cat-food-eating Yuichiro.

Still…winning a PS5 for only 5,000 yen would be pretty neat, and Yuichiro has been saving a lot of money through his dieting. What could one go hurt?

He inserted five 1,000 yen bills and the “PUSH” button lit up an inviting blue hue. Our reporter closed his eyes, wished for a single digit or at least a “14” and smacked the button.

Out plunked a plastic ball with a ticket that read “12” inside, but that wasn’t all…

There was a second ticket as well! Tucked inside the ball, another slip of paper with an “18” on it could be found.

Yuichiro excitedly hurried over to the man at the counter, but was told that the two papers were just an error. It was a bummer, but he could at least take his pick of one item from either number.

Still…

When you think about it…

What are the chances of getting a ball with TWO papers inside?

It has to be astronomical…

Clearly, fate was telling Yuichiro something on this day…

“Excuse me, could you break a 10,000 yen bill into 1,000s?” he asked the clerk. A PS5 for 15,000 yen ($136) would still be something to brag about, and some kind of supernatural force was obviously swirling around our reporter. He’d be crazy to just walk away from it.

Just two more tries though, and that would be enough to determine if it was just a fluke or if he was truly hot.

In the end, Yuichiro got the following three items for which we also included the current retail prices.

▼ A Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG: Burst of Destiny display case with 30 packs (4,950 yen [$45])

▼ An E-Prize Brook Ichiban Kuji Figure (These figures are only given away as prizes at convenience stores or amusement games where one chance is usually around 500 yen [$4.50])

▼ A Hori Classic Controller for Nintendo Switch – Legend of Zelda Edition (2,800 yen [$25])

And so, Yuichiro walked away having spent 15,000 yen ($136) on about 8,000 yen ($73) worth of stuff. It was interesting stuff though, so he had that going for him.

Still…

When you think about it…

He had already burned through a bunch of double-digit numbers, so he was probably due for something below ten…

Maybe even a Switch?

At least a Ring Fit Adventure…

So, the next day our reporter returned to Akihabara, armed with five more 1,000 yen bills.

Something good was going to happen. He could feel it as he heard the plastic ball bounce around inside the machine and finally pop out the bottom to reveal…

▼ “I got a 4!!!”

As Yuichiro saw before, a single digit, especially one under five, ensures a top-tier prize worth more than the price of a single turn. In the case of a 4, he got a copy of Monster Hunter Rise for the Nintendo Switch, which retails for 8,789 yen ($80)!

Overall, he was still down by a few thousand yen, but clearly his luck had taken a turn for the better and he could now be more satisfied with his haul.

Still…

When you think about it, maybe getting a Switch game was a sign that an actual Switch might be waiting in his future. The only way to be sure is if he goes back one more time to try again…

Photos ©SoraNews24
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