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[YT] The State of Hawaii announces action to address predatory practices at Electronic Arts and other companies

4K views 59 replies 40 participants last post by  Newbie2009 
#1 ·
Source:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_akwfRuL4os

"We are here today to ensure future protections for kids, youth and everyone when it comes to the spread of predatory practices in online gaming and the significant financial consequences that it can have on families and has been having on families around this nation."
"This game is a Star Wars themed online casino designed to lure kids into spending money."
"It's a trap."
 
#3 ·
Didn’t think it was real since looked a little homemade but Googled the guy and its legit.
 
#4 ·
I think this is not the point gamers are complaining about. The point is pay to win. They can have skins all they want.
 
#5 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by Angry-Hermit View Post

Suppose parents have no responsibility of preventing their kids from spending money on this versus card games like magic the gather or collectibles like shopkins which are the exact same thing. Bring in the goverment! Save the children!
So you're saying it's just as easy for a young kid to get money from their parents, get transportation to a brick and mortar store and purchase Magic packs than it is to press a "Purchase Now" button on the family gaming console?
 
#6 ·
Seems like this topic is getting blown out of proportion. I don't like this practice, but it would be hard to call this gambling under current laws. It's not like your betting to win money. Much like arcades and carnivals get away with it because your betting money for a chance to win prizes such as toys and stuffed animals.

EA certainly is receiving allot of bad press over this and maybe Disney / Lucasfilm will decide to step in and do something. I think the only reason this is now being such a big deal is because of the large fan base Star Wars has. Nobody ever cared about this when it only happened in mobile or F2P games.

Hopefully this will help sway game publishers away from these types of practices when several governments are looking to restrict sales because of it.
 
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#7 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by Angry-Hermit View Post

Suppose parents have no responsibility of preventing their kids from spending money on this versus card games like magic the gather or collectibles like shopkins which are the exact same thing. Bring in the goverment! Save the children!
Game publishers should have morals. You don't turn young kids into gamblers out of pure greed. It's way too easy for developers to rig the loots boxes to hit the revenue targets they want. I have zero problems with game developers selling skins etc for a reasonable price. Look at how Rust video game does it, they sell skins for 99cent to $4.99. They don't sell loot crates with rigged % chance.

The loot crates are a form of gambling. People are spending $$$ for chance to get item they want. Just because you receive something, doesn't mean it's not gambling.
 
#8 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by Shaded War View Post

Seems like this topic is getting blown out of proportion. I don't like this practice, but it would be hard to call this gambling under current laws. It's not like your betting to win money. Much like arcades and carnivals get away with it because your betting money for a chance to win prizes such as toys and stuffed animals.

EA certainly is receiving allot of bad press over this and maybe Disney / Lucasfilm will decide to step in and do something. I think the only reason this is now being such a big deal is because of the large fan base Star Wars has. Nobody ever cared about this when it only happened in mobile or F2P games.

Hopefully this will help sway game publishers away from these types of practices when several governments are looking to restrict sales because of it.
No, not being blown up enough.

No, people care about it plaguing mobile and F2P games.

Bigger voices get heard. Your logic is like saying people didn't care about slavery until the majority of people were against it.
 
#10 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by Owari View Post

So you're saying it's just as easy for a young kid to get money from their parents, get transportation to a brick and mortar store and purchase Magic packs than it is to press a "Purchase Now" button on the family gaming console?
I am saying if you cant trust your kid to spend appropriately on on entertainment they shouldn't have the ability to.
Quote:
Originally Posted by MSim View Post

Game publishers should have morals. You don't turn young kids into gamblers out of pure greed. It's way too easy for developers to rig the loots boxes to hit the revenue targets they want. I have zero problems with game developers selling skins etc for a reasonable price. Look at how Rust video game does it, they sell skins for 99cent to $4.99. They don't sell loot crates with rigged % chance.

The loot crates are a form of gambling. People are spending $$$ for chance to get item they want. Just because you receive something, doesn't mean it's not gambling.
And if you don't agree with their morals, dont buy their games, no one is clamoring to stop killing people in games. If loot boxes items are trade able, then sure disclose the chances, but this is no different than magic the gathering or Shopkins, except for at some point in time you are guaranteed to loose access to what you buy. Gambling requires risk of losing value. non tradable items have no value except to the owner. Don't like it, dont give them money.
 
#12 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by Angry-Hermit View Post

I am saying if you cant trust your kid to spend appropriately on on entertainment they shouldn't have the ability to.
It's not about trust. For PSN, in order to claim your 'free' 30-day trial PSN Pro subscription you must attach a credit card to your account. Many families will do this under the understanding that this credit card will be used to pay for that service afterwards. Due to the commonality of of subscription services, this is completely reasonable to many folks. However, a child can just as easily come along and make additional purchases in order to keep up with their friends or favorite YouTube/Twitch personality.

Media brings up another point. There are tons of videos online targeted towards children of various streamers and YouTubers spending thousands of dollars on these loot boxes, and these are figures that many of these kids look up to or possibly even aspire to be. It normalizes gambling in their minds at such a young age that the negative and addictive effects of gambling and financial risk-taking are sure to follow them into adulthood in some form or another.
 
#13 ·
I personally just like seeing this blow in in EA's face.
 
#14 ·
EULA...'nuff said

predatory...lmao give me break.

parents don't like it, they can choose not to download f2p or buy it.

why not go after the one of the worst offender...Valve and their hats
 
#15 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by twitchyzero View Post

EULA...'nuff said

predatory...lmao give me break.

parents don't like it, they can choose not to download f2p or buy it.
This is not about adults. It's about kids man, its freaking Star Wars. I know that when i was a kid, like 11-14 i would "borrow" money from my dad for Pizza, and i would get mad if they wouldn't buy my games. With current consoles requiring a credit card for online services most kids have their parents cards on file. They probably have the opinion that $30 bucks isn't that much, and will just buy some crates since the card is sync'd thinking their parents wouldn't know/ won't miss $30 bucks.

Yes, its predatory.
 
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#16 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by Angry-Hermit View Post

I am saying if you cant trust your kid to spend appropriately on on entertainment they shouldn't have the ability to.
And if you don't agree with their morals, dont buy their games, no one is clamoring to stop killing people in games. If loot boxes items are trade able, then sure disclose the chances, but this is no different than magic the gathering or Shopkins, except for at some point in time you are guaranteed to loose access to what you buy. Gambling requires risk of losing value. non tradable items have no value except to the owner. Don't like it, dont give them money.
I feel like this is another bout of "Whataboutism". The entire point of the video is solely about the fact that EA is marketing this game toward kids using a franchise that's THE most popular of all Science Fiction groups. It's insidiously evil.
 
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#17 ·
it's $30...hopefully the average kid sneaking transactions aren't racking up hundreds/thousands

may be I just come from a background to not take parents money without consent or get mad if I don't get extra allowance /shrug
 
#18 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by Imglidinhere View Post

I feel like this is another bout of "Whataboutism". The entire point of the video is solely about the fact that EA is marketing this game toward kids using a franchise that's THE most popular of all Science Fiction groups. It's insidiously evil.
EXACTLY.

This game is for KIDS! My brother has a 4 year old. You know his favorite thing to watch?

Star Wars.

Now a 4 year old isn't going to be playing this game, but you get the point. And you can't make an argument here about not buying it. It's freaking Christmas time. One of the family members would surely buy it for the kid.
 
#19 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by twitchyzero View Post

it's $30...hopefully the average kid sneaking transactions aren't racking up hundreds/thousands

may be I just come from a background to not take parents money without consent or get mad if I don't get extra allowance /shrug
Just because you come from that background doesn't mean the game isn't predatory.
 
#21 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by STEvil View Post

EULA's are not legally binding.
EULA's are there to protect software companies from dumb stuff. Kind of like how McDonalds writes on the coffee cups that it is hot.
 
#22 ·
Im all in favor of this if only to teach EA a lesson. I love their games at times and was looking forward to this game but had to pass as it was p2w and basterdizing a franchise I love for the sake of profit. EA are the Ferengi of gaming.
 
#23 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dimaggio1103 View Post

Im all in favor of this if only to teach EA a lesson. I love their games at times and was looking forward to this game but had to pass as it was p2w and basterdizing a franchise I love for the sake of profit. EA are the Ferengi of gaming.
Another person i agree with. I'm upset every day off i have that i can't play this with my buddy that bought it. However i'm not telling EA with my wallet that i'm fine with traps such as suspending P2W until January.
 
#25 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by Omega X View Post

Whatever Hawaii comes up with, you can count on New York and California to follow.
Hopefully. With that many people paying attention, and Disney's influence looming, something good might actually happen out of this. With Episode 8 so close, Disney is in no mood for bad Star Wars publicity.
 
#26 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by twitchyzero View Post

it's $30...hopefully the average kid sneaking transactions aren't racking up hundreds/thousands

may be I just come from a background to not take parents money without consent or get mad if I don't get extra allowance /shrug
You come from a background of non-critical thinkers.
 
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