'Aggretsuko' Season 3: Retsuko comes face to face with the predatory nature of microtransactions
Spoilers for 'Aggretsuko' Season 3
One of the things that makes 'Aggretsuko' so resonant with its fans is the way it takes common, seemingly everyday problems and reveals the much deeper worries lying beneath it. In the opening episodes of 'Aggretsuko' Season 3, Retsuko (Kaolip/Rarecho/Erica Mendez/Jamison Boaz) is quickly racking up debt due to a new game she's purchased — one that gives her a virtual boyfriend.
As we quickly learn, this "boyfriend" of her doesn't really have her best interest at heart — the true purpose of the game is to extract as much extra cash from Retsuko as it's possible to get.
The game does this in a rather sinister manner, taking advantage of Retsuko's loneliness and challenging her affections. If Retsuko truly cares for her boyfriend, after all, won't she dip into her savings to buy him an entire wardrobe of new outfits for her to enjoy seeing him in? Would she not spend all that she can afford to buy in-game loot boxes for the mere chance of getting a special prize? Even when the precious prize remains out of her reach, Retsuko is rewarded — her boyfriend acknowledges her payments with approval and smiles at her.
This kind of predatory gaming has become increasingly popular, especially with but not exclusive to mobile games. Loot boxes have become especially indicative of how far games are willing to go to take advantage of their customers — huge, expensive boxes can be bought for the game, but getting these boxes doesn't guarantee the special item inside, only a chance for it to be.
Several countries have outlawed the practice of loot boxes, calling them akin to gambling — and just like gambling, people are losing fortunes out of their addiction to the product. But why?
For Retsuko, it's because she feels she doesn't deserve any better. After Fenneko (Rina Inoue/Katelyn Gault) confronts Retsuko about her spending problem, Retsuko admits that its the only thing she has to fill the hole in her heart left by her break-up with Tadano (Chiharu Sasa/Griffin Burns). Retsuko is, on some level, perfectly aware that her virtual boyfriend's affections are not real — but she's willing to spend all that she has for even the illusion of that feeling.
The game's designers are well aware of this - they've designed their in-game character to speak directly to Retsuko, to question her affections and loyalty when she wavers, and to withold even the illusion of affection if she doesn't continue to pay for it. It is capitalism at its worst — and further proof that the game's designers know what they're doing is that they don't allow their users to even return the product.
'Aggretsuko' examines financial pressure from many angles, and this season, they add another. The addictive nature of the VR game specifically targets the lonely, en masse, and takes advantage of the vulnerable. Retsuko has already had her dreams crushed by her job, and her self-worth, and pouring most of her savings into the game forces her to work harder than ever just to make ends meet.
She quickly becomes stressed and overworked — and her only outlet appears to be the VR game that only demands more money from her. It's a vicious cycle, and while Retsuko is fortunate enough to have friends who can help her out of it, not everyone in the real world is so lucky. All episodes of 'Aggretsuko' are now available to stream on Netflix.