Last week, Belgium's Gaming Commission announced that it had launched an investigation into whether the loot boxes available for purchase in games like Overwatch and Star Wars Battlefront 2 constitute a form of gambling. Today, VTM News reported that the ruling is in, and the answer is yes.
The Google translation is a little sloppy, as usual, but the message is clear enough. "The mixing of money and addiction is gambling," the Gaming Commission declared. Belgium's Minister of Justice Koen Geens also weighed in, saying, "Mixing gambling and gaming, especially at a young age, is dangerous for the mental health of the child."
Geens, according to the report, wants to ban in-game purchases outright (correction: if you don't know exactly what you're purchasing), and not just in Belgium: He said the process will take time, "because we have to go to Europe. We will certainly try to ban it."
Wish every country would follow this, that way game publishers would allow the dev's to just make a properly decent game, that is addictive on its own merits, instead of trying to shoe-horn these disgusting mechanics into every game.
At which point people will have a clear notion of what to buy or not to buy, according to their interests, instead of having to pull the slot machine lever until they get what they want, while EA can only raise the price by so much before people walk away altogether. So, of course they will raise the price to a degree, but the buck stops there instead of keeping on spinning.
At which point people will have a clear notion of what to buy or not to buy, according to their interests, instead of having to pull the slot machine lever until they get what they want, while EA can only raise the price by so much before people walk away altogether. So, of course they will raise the price to a degree, but the buck stops there instead of keeping on spinning.
Or they put a timer on the goods, so you have to buy them over again
. That would actually be worst than loot boxes, cause once you have what you want from a loot box, you stop buying. Gotta keep this gaming as a service going.
Or they put a timer on the goods, so you have to buy them over again
. That would actually be worst than loot boxes, cause once you have what you want from a loot box, you stop buying. Gotta keep this gaming as a service going.
I guess EA didn't think this will be the outcome of their P2W strategy.
This didn't just backfire. it is like sending out a boomerang and it coming back with a nuke strapped to it.
The whole ordeal is now going to make a tsunami in the industry.
RIOT games' League of Legends has the same item as the lootboxes, a type of purchasable package with random contents.
they call it the "mystery" items.
I guess EA didn't think this will be the outcome of their P2W strategy.
This didn't just backfire. it is like sending out a boomerang and it coming back with a nuke strapped to it.
The whole ordeal is now going to make a tsunami in the industry.
Funny how instead of self regulating and getting rules that would be still within 'AAA publishers' interest while also protecting consumers to some degree, you get regulated in a knee-jerk reaction from the government once you've gone way past what's reasonable. Surely this must be the first time in history this has happened, and that it was completely unpredictable. I wonder what shareholders will think... 'Good job' pushing the boundaries for the sake of profit until the governments gets involved, or being punished for taking the golden goose and somehow killing it instead of being happy it laid golden eggs for free.
RIOT games' League of Legends has the same item as the lootboxes, a type of purchasable package with random contents.
they call it the "mystery" items.
A step in the right direction, even if it's merely an announcement of intent. Hopefully this nonsense will be a bad memory within the next couple of years.
I see, well that was fast then. Usually it takes them several years
Surprised.
Personally I approve, random chance purchases are gambling, doesn't matter if what you get for it is computer based or not.
Getting random stuff for not paying is fine and pretty normal game mechanic, but once you are paying for getting something random it's gambling. People literally go and drop hundreds in OW on lootboxes to try and randomly get some rare skin and what not, it's ridiculous. Of course this gives those that get paid quite a strong income probably more than game sells do and probably would be comparable to subscription gaming income.
I think this doesn't mean that such mechanics will be banned, it may simple mean that such games will be 18+ only etc. if you want to buy them. Though who knows how they will proceed with limiting the gambling and better educating people. Maybe they will require companies to apply for a gambling license or some such as other more common gambling might have to already. I don't think it will go away unless it turns unprofitable for the companies, it would just be nice that younger population is better protected against these gambling actions and parents who decide to buy it for their kid at least know such thing is in there.
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