The Availability Heuristic in Gacha Marketing: Mechanisms, Consumer Vulnerabilities, and Ethical Implications

With the continuous growth of the game industry, the gacha mechanism has become the core revenue model, and the impact of access heuristic promotion on players' consumption is becoming more and more significant. Based on consumer behavior and cognitive psychology, this study examines how the heuristic promotion of availability affects player spending through probability misjudgment and impulsive consumption. Taking the prayer system of "Genshin Impact" as an example, this article analyzes from the perspective of consumer behavior and cognitive psychology how the heuristic promotion of availability can activate the player's availability deviation through frequent display of "European gas" extraction, the use of the opinion leader (KOL) effect, and algorithm recommendation, so as to promote sales. The study found that these practices can increase short-term revenue, but they also bring structural problems: a crisis of trust in the drop rate, irrational consumption of minors, and gaps in ethical supervision. To deal with these problems, the paper puts forward targeted strategic suggestions, including strengthening probability transparency, establishing a consumption firewall for minors, and clarifying the rules of algorithm ethics. This research extends the application of behavioral economics to the field of game marketing and provides a theoretical basis and practical inspiration for the health and sustainable development of the game industry.