Multiplat Loot Boxes, Gambling or Not?

I'm no fan of loot boxes but I'm even less of a fan of government regulation especially when they're likely to **** it up.

We already live in enough of a nanny state.

Far better targets would be fast food advertising and the proliferation of sports betting advertising and banning or limiting that but I have a feeling that their are too many political snouts in the gambling and fast food lobby pockets for their being enough political capital to effect change.

Gaming is an easy target.

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Sure but if it's gambling it shouldn't be something kids can play
There is too much predatory behaviour from companies being ignored by the regulators.

Those other things need to be dealt with as well but they aren't what this thread is about are they.

If kids can't bet on horse races why can they spend hundreds or thousands on FIFA cards or lootboxes or whatever the particular game has that is a blind bag or whatever.

Half the kids toys on the market are halfway grooming them for risk taking behaviour and gambling.

Oh and that's where the 18+ thing comes in, if they want to do it do it with adults and list it as gambling, except it's even better, your gambling for a virtual item you don't own, it's a complete rort and it makes developers lazy and the games s**t because they build this stuff into the game mechanics with built in slow downs and grind and s**t
 
Things like FUT and MUT are some of the worst imo.

Spending real $$$ on cards that will have 0 worth when next years game comes out.

Friend of mine bought a $300 skin for Dota 2, yes its a lot, but it will always be worth that much.

Until dota 3 comes out :p

The sooner people realise nothing online has any value the better (except for the wow account I sold for $750, that was awesome)
 
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Loot boxes in multiplayer games are ok in some circumstances. If it doesn't give you an edge over someone else due to luck, so purely cosmetic.

Also, some of these games run for years so people buying the loot might find value in having that skin for the life of the game.

Ultimate Team I just can't understand. Majority of players won't stay around when the next version is released, so that's a lot of packs and money/grinding to spend to get the best team, to only have it be reset on you a few months later.

The whole grind or pay to skip the grind system is usually found in free to play games. I can understand that being in place there, as the developers and publishers need some kind of revenue. These games also last a bit longer than 12 months.
 
😂😂😂

EA: Our Loot Boxes Are Actually 'Surprise Mechanics' That Are 'Quite Ethical'

 
😂😂😂

EA: Our Loot Boxes Are Actually 'Surprise Mechanics' That Are 'Quite Ethical'


SURPRISE you got worthless junk again
 
"surprise!"

I'm so going to use that as a catch all for anything now.

Bethesda should adopt that
The bugs in fo76 that have been there since launch aren't bugs they are surprise mechanics
 
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"Good" game companies are finding more ways to maximise revenue at the expense of customers because they know how much of a sucker they all are.

Yes whilst it's not morally ethical, they do it due to the ability to do more online at a fraction of the cost and turn a 1 off $70-90 game into a $150 plus game as people buy credits/loot boxes.

Look at the amount of people who play NBA 2k2 on here and play the my Team mode (that card one) and run the roulette of getting double ups and waste VC (which they give very little in the free method) for something that lasts a year before the next game comes out.

Yes companies are doing loop holes like letting you earn it free (e.g Fallout 76 atoms through challenges). But they are fully aware that by lowering the amount you can earn this way, the time poor people will just splash real $$ to buy it outright.

In the case of loot boxes. Those who can't afford to grind, will buy stronger weapons/armour/cars etc to get a leg up.

The stuff they Release are all intended to be there, just not for free. Blame DLC expansions that started this craze. Once the internet came to consoles. Cut the cost of making physical expansions of games and shipping to stores.
 
Jun 25, 2011
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Bell's titles are getting more cringy and clickbaity but I still really like his content. Currently the UK Parliament is having an inquiry into immersive and addictive online technologies. The reports are quite long so if you can't be bothered reading it then this lengthy video is a pretty good summary as I'm sure any actions taken will lead to possible legislative changes in other countries including our own. If not, if any company is bound by regulation in a territory such as the UK then that is also sure to trickle on to us.

This covers the UK Parliament not buying EA's 'surprise mechanic' excuse (lol'd at a comment that said 'surprise regulation!'), freemium models which are designed to be addictive, companies mining and hording personal data for no reason, and how these companies should demonstrate a duty of care to their users over the next 18 months before the Online Harms Regulator in the UK goes into effect.

 
Sep 30, 2011
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Please target microtransactions next.
Micro transactions won’t raise the same scrutiny as you get what you pay for even if it is a rip off. Loot boxes are basically gambling as people blow small amounts so they can “win” big. No big pay off or excitement kick and people will be less inclined to blow really money.
 
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