https://www.pcgamesn.com/star-wars-battlefront-2/battlefront-2-loot-box-gambling-belgium-gaming-commissionAccording to VTM News, the Belgian Gaming Commission - which regulates all gambling in the country - is currently investigating whether or not loot crates in the game should be categorized as gambling.
The commission's director, Peter Naessens, says that if your ability to succeed in the game is dependent on random outcomes - in this case, the contents of loot boxes - then the commission will have to consider it a game of chance. "If there is a game of chance," says Naessens, "it is not possible without a permit from the Gaming Commission.
Seems solid. Especially if you can buy said loot boxes. This crap is bad enough with skin gambling in other games, CS, Overwatch, ... Just watch some crazy Twitchers how they drop insane money at Overwatch lootboxes to get some silly skin. Blizzard couldn't make more money on the game without adding gambling. So go Belgium goif your ability to succeed in the game is dependent on random outcomes - in this case, the contents of loot boxes - then the commission will have to consider it a game of chance
That's assuming McD told you you'd get a Big Mac, guaranteed, and you didn't. As we all know, that's not how they operate their business. If there were a chance you'd only get a straw, it'd be advertised as such on their menu.Originally Posted by Newbie2009
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I'd be pissed if I paid €5 for a bic mac and they gave me a straw, because it's random.
If developers stop adding in potential gambling elements in the video games they make to try and milk the hell out of their consumer-base the government would'nt have to intervene. I like TFL Replica's comment saying EA's behavior is anti-consumer because that is what this looks like to me as well.
As a consumer I would like transparency so they aren't changing the odds of items in the lootboxes on people without their knowledge and no legal recourse which would protect the consumers purchases as far as I understand it. If they make a game centered around lootboxes and the odds of the items are assumed uniform but are instead changed based on individual player profiles than I wouldn't buy it had it been disclosed.
Based on a statement from EA (in another OCN thread), they are constantly changing things regarding the gameplay, which includes the lootboxes. EA's is trying to have their cake and eat it too.Originally Posted by New green
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As a consumer I would like transparency so they aren't changing the odds of items in the lootboxes on people without their knowledge and no legal recourse which would protect the consumers purchases as far as I understand it. If they make a game centered around lootboxes and the odds of the items are assumed uniform but are instead changed based on individual player profiles than I wouldn't buy it had it been disclosed.
I'm not suggesting battlefront 2 is doing this only suggesting why lootboxes should be regulated for the consumers protection which would be to publicly disclose all odds for every item bought through the transaction of real money so if they were ever caught doing something not disclosed legal action could be taken.
I posted this in another thread, but it's even more relevant here:Originally Posted by New green
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As a consumer I would like transparency so they aren't changing the odds of items in the lootboxes on people without their knowledge and no legal recourse which would protect the consumers purchases as far as I understand it. If they make a game centered around lootboxes and the odds of the items are assumed uniform but are instead changed based on individual player profiles than I wouldn't buy it had it been disclosed.
I'm not suggesting battlefront 2 is doing this only suggesting why lootboxes should be regulated for the consumers protection which would be to publicly disclose all odds for every item bought through the transaction of real money so if they were ever caught doing something not disclosed legal action could be taken.
Didn't this already happen with Diablo3 and the auction house(when it first released)? They were manipulating drops to keep items in check on AH and keep prices up?Originally Posted by New green
As a consumer I would like transparency so they aren't changing the odds of items in the lootboxes on people without their knowledge and no legal recourse which would protect the consumers purchases as far as I understand it. If they make a game centered around lootboxes and the odds of the items are assumed uniform but are instead changed based on individual player profiles than I wouldn't buy it had it been disclosed.
I'm not suggesting battlefront 2 is doing this only suggesting why lootboxes should be regulated for the consumers protection which would be to publicly disclose all odds for every item bought through the transaction of real money so if they were ever caught doing something not disclosed legal action could be taken.
pretty much this.Originally Posted by tpi2007
Go Belgium!
I posted this in another thread, but it's even more relevant here:
(NSFW language):
The video is mostly about a company that does exactly the bad stuff that you're talking about, supposedly only for mobile games for now - but they didn't respond when Jim asked them about plans for triple-A games.
Now imagine this world filled with telemetry where the developer/publisher sees that you're well off, playing their game on a Ryzen 7 1700X or an i7-8700K or, even worse for this purpose, a Threadripper or a Skylake-X system, paired to a generous amount of RAM, an SSD and, say, a 1080 Ti or heck, let's dial it to 11, a Titan Xp.
Now bear that in mind when you watch the video and think about the crapstorm that may be brewing behind the scenes as we speak.
Deception and anti-consumer behavior is part of the free market. If you are okay with dishonest sales techniques making money, than by all means, keep believing in zero regulation. I have absolutely zero faith in the consumer to make an educated buying decision. Consumer behavior, while rational, is not always correct and prone to following faulty logic. The market is not always the most efficient especially when it comes to things like these.Originally Posted by keikei
If developers stop adding in potential gambling elements in the video games they make to try and milk the hell out of their consumer-base the government would'nt have to intervene. I like TFL Replica's comment saying EA's behavior is anti-consumer because that is what this looks like to me as well.
Aren't you quoting the wrong post?Originally Posted by HanSomPa
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Deception and anti-consumer behavior is part of the free market. If you are okay with dishonest sales techniques making money, than by all means, keep believing in zero regulation. I have absolutely zero faith in the consumer to make an educated buying decision. Consumer behavior, while rational, is not always correct and prone to following faulty logic. The market is not always the most efficient especially when it comes to things like these.Originally Posted by keikei
If developers stop adding in potential gambling elements in the video games they make to try and milk the hell out of their consumer-base the government would'nt have to intervene. I like TFL Replica's comment saying EA's behavior is anti-consumer because that is what this looks like to me as well.
Care to elaborate why you are against regulation in video games?
at one time I was like you. didn't want any gov't regulation in my games but the way the game developers and publishers are going, I'm calling for regulation. otherwise, what your seeing now is merely the calm before the storm and that storm is absolutely massive
Then I have to assume you're 100% for casinos being able to program and skew games of chance to even more severely favor the casino and to be able to win or lose on command? That's what you're stating here.