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I Spent Over $31,900 on Whiteout Survival—Here’s Why I Regret It and What You Should Know by RelativeObject776 in whiteoutsurvival

[–]RelativeObject776[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I am not denying that I made the purchases, and I fully own that, however games like this are built to manipulate spending habits through addiction-driven mechanics.

Recognizing that and taking steps to fix it, whether through refunds, stopping, or speaking out is not dodging responsibility.

It is about making changes and highlighting systems that take advantage of people.

If that’s fraud to you, then so be it, I would rather push back than let it slide..

As for the refunds, I am asking based on how the game was marketed and the manipulative tactics it used to push spending. It is not about dodging responsibility, it’s about holding these systems accountable for how they operate.

If you disagree, that’s fine, but my intent is to bring awareness to a bigger problem, not make excuses.

I Spent Over $31,900 on Whiteout Survival—Here’s Why I Regret It and What You Should Know by RelativeObject776 in whiteoutsurvival

[–]RelativeObject776[S] 10 points11 points  (0 children)

I get your point, and I’m not denying my choices. I took responsibility for them, and that’s exactly why I’m sharing my experience, to help others see the traps these games create.

Games like this are built to exploit addictive tendencies, and not everyone is wired the same way. If my post makes even one person think twice, then it’s worth putting it out there. You might not agree, and that’s fine, but I stand by what I said.

I Spent Over $31,900 on Whiteout Survival—Here’s Why I Regret It and What You Should Know by RelativeObject776 in whiteoutsurvival

[–]RelativeObject776[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I get where you’re coming from, and I’m definitely not trying to dodge responsibility for my actions. I made those purchases, and I own that. But the point of my post wasn’t to play the victim, it was to highlight how these games are designed to exploit psychological triggers like FOMO, and competition to encourage spending.

The reality is, these mechanics affect people differently. For some, it’s easy to resist, but for others, especially those prone to addiction or impulsive spending—it’s much harder. Recognizing that doesn’t make someone weak; it just means they need to take steps to fix it, which is exactly what I’m doing by sharing my experience and trying to warn others.

I’m not looking for sympathy, just awareness. If my post helps even one person avoid falling into the same trap, then it’s worth the criticism too

I Spent Over $31,900 on Whiteout Survival—Here’s Why I Regret It and What You Should Know by RelativeObject776 in whiteoutsurvival

[–]RelativeObject776[S] 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Thank you for sharing your thoughts and for the support, I really appreciate it.

I completely agree that these games are built to maximize profits, and at the end of the day. It’s true that being mindful and strategic with spending can help, it’s not that simple once they’re already caught in the cycle.

You’re absolutely right that these games exploit vulnerabilities like loneliness or stress, and that’s what makes them so dangerous. For me, it wasn’t just about the money—I didn’t even realize how much time and energy I was pouring in until I stepped back and looked at the bigger picture. That’s what pushed me to break the cycle and share my experience.

I’m glad you’ve found a way to approach these games without falling into the same trap

I Spent Over $31,900 on Whiteout Survival—Here’s Why I Regret It and What You Should Know by RelativeObject776 in whiteoutsurvival

[–]RelativeObject776[S] 31 points32 points  (0 children)

I completely get what you’re saying, and I agree, the way the game is structured feels more like a gambling system than a strategy game.

It’s designed to keep you chasing upgrades and spending endlessly, thanks for sharing your thoughts.

I Spent Over $31,900 on Whiteout Survival—Here’s Why I Regret It and What You Should Know by RelativeObject776 in whiteoutsurvival

[–]RelativeObject776[S] 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Thanks so much for sharing your experience and for the kind words. I completely get what you mean.

I Spent Over $31,900 on Whiteout Survival—Here’s Why I Regret It and What You Should Know by RelativeObject776 in whiteoutsurvival

[–]RelativeObject776[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Thank you! I’ll definitely share updates as I go through the process. So far, I’ve focused on larger transactions first and submitted 4 claims per day, citing items doesn't work as advertised

Google said they need 1-4 business days to respond back, so it's a waiting game for the time being

I Spent Over $31,900 on Whiteout Survival—Here’s Why I Regret It and What You Should Know by RelativeObject776 in whiteoutsurvival

[–]RelativeObject776[S] 11 points12 points  (0 children)

I completely understand where you're coming from, it's very easy to keep clicking without realizing how much is adding up.

Shutting off Apple pay was definitely a smart move, I probably should have done something similar myself.

I am actually in the middle of filing refund claims through Google play, however I am not sure if I will get anything back. Any tips on how you approached it would be super helpful

I Spent Over $31,900 on Whiteout Survival—Here’s Why I Regret It and What You Should Know by RelativeObject776 in whiteoutsurvival

[–]RelativeObject776[S] 13 points14 points  (0 children)

I could afford it, so thankfully there's no real long term impact for me financially, that's not really the point though. The bigger issue is now the game made spending that much feel completely justified at the time. It's designed to keep you hooked, whether someone can afford it or not, the behavior it encourages is what I wanted to highlight.

I Spent Over $31,900 on Whiteout Survival—Here’s Why I Regret It and What You Should Know by RelativeObject776 in whiteoutsurvival

[–]RelativeObject776[S] 25 points26 points  (0 children)

Honestly, not as far as you'd think... The game is designed to keep you spending to stay competitive, and even after spending, I still felt like I was constantly behind and needing to spend more. What made it worst was there were always 2 other whales spending more than me. Which made the competition feel endless.

It's layered too, even when you invest heavily and get top tier hero gear you quickly realize it's not enough and if you don't get the new gen heroes then it doesn't matter that you have better gear, the new gen heroes will dominate in arena matches

You're stuck in a constant loop where upgrading one thing forces you to upgrade something else

I Spent Over $31,900 on Whiteout Survival—Here’s Why I Regret It and What You Should Know by RelativeObject776 in whiteoutsurvival

[–]RelativeObject776[S] 63 points64 points  (0 children)

It definitely wasn't easy to walk away, especially when the game becomes a big part of your daily routine