[Gacha games : type of games where players open 'loot box' type of items in order to gain characters or items with different rarities. These games are usually free with a lot of in-app purchases]

In a village where every house looked almost brand new, there was a bungalow that gave off an impression that no one lived inside it for years. But the boy that just came inside the house made others think 'Oh, somebody still actually lived here'.

The paint on the walls of the house had formed bubbles, some parts even torn. The front yard was filled with weeds that almost reached the knees, blocking the path towards the house. There were cracks on the roof of the house and some duct tape found on them, as if trying to patch up the cracks. The glass windows of the house looked like they haven't been cleaned for ages because of the dark and green spots everywhere.

This house belonged to Matthew. He had been living here for the past 3 years alone ever since his parents had divorced, and he was just 15 years old at that time.Both his parents left him alone for their new families. He still receives some money from his parents because it was required by the law in his city. But because he was just 18 at that time and wasn't even in college yet, he had trouble adjusting by himself.

Matthew originally wanted to kill himself because of the depression of having both parents leaving him for another, but one day he came across a game in the App Store called 'Dragalia Lost'. Matthew was first mesmerised by the art because never had he been able to play anime related games before(normie).

He got curious and downloaded the game go see for himself. "If I'm going to kill myself anyway I might as well try out this game first" he thought.

Opening the game, the music started to play. Even though the song was in Japanese and that he couldn't understand a single line, tears suddenly rolled down from Matthew's eyes. He felt like a lump got stuck in his throat. The tone and rhythm of the song struck a note in his heart.

He wiped away his tears and continued to start the game. After the tutorial, he got the hang out of the game. It was like an action role-playing game, but he would have to 'summon' his units from the game through in-game credits. Eventually, Matthew got so addicted to the game that the though of killing himself was replaced by the euphoria of summoning 'waifus'.

3 years into the present, and Matthew is now starting his life as a college student in College of Saint Benilde in Manila, taking up the course Game Design and Development.

Matthew tightened his fists and looked up the gate of the school "This is my chance to create a game of my own...".

Was it so that he can change other people as much as a game changed his life as well? Not entirely so...

"... a game where I can see those plebs use their money to buy premium stuff while I can just add it to my account whenever and however I want! MWAHA *cough*cough*HAHAHA!".

School guard : "..."

Passerby #1-78 : "..."

He has never gotten a 5-star in 'Dragalia Lost' even after 3 years of playing.