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Games with loot boxes to get minimum 16 age rating across Europe

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Re: Games with loot boxes to get minimum 16 age rating across Europe

#121

Post by sidewndr46 »

Ekaros wrote: post #76
notrealyme123 wrote: post #73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can buy trading cards in lots of stores. Pokémon, soccer and so on. It's hard to draw a line without banning those as well.

So much that could be done with those. Mandating age checks. Covering at least 80% of them with warnings about gambling. Maybe plain packaging and only allowing them from behind counter or unmarked automated systems. Treat them as tobacco products.

OK, we mandate age checks. But what is the minimum age? Am I in trouble if I make a straw purchase of that product for someone else?

Re: Games with loot boxes to get minimum 16 age rating across Europe

#122

Post by Razengan »

kelnos wrote: post #67
Razengan wrote: post #48

Yet again more moves which take away the liberty of all citizens and users instead of restricting predatory companies and products.. How much access to money parents want to give their kids is up to the parents. What people do with their own money, including kids, is up to the people. WHY are countries not enacting laws that punish companies for once? Say something like: • "After 3-5 purchases of the same item with r…

Adjusting an age-ratings system doesn't take liberty away from anyone. Parents can still allow their kids to play whatever games the parent deems is ok. I agree with some of your other points, though: we should have legally mandated return periods for this sort of thing. Not sure how you'd enshrine price limits into law, though; that seems impractical.

> Not sure how you'd enshrine price limits into law, though; that seems impractical.

Thinking in childrens' terms:

• Any microtransaction • Anything between $1-$10 should be more limited

• Anything $10 or above should be limited to 1 per week

• No microtransaction should cost more than 50% of the game's own full price, if the game isn't free

Re: Games with loot boxes to get minimum 16 age rating across Europe

#123

Post by Archit3ch »

steele wrote: post #6
nba456_ wrote: post #2

I never understood why video game lootboxes get regulated while real-life lootboxes like pokemon cards don't.

This is the same argument Valve is presenting.

Given their track record with Artifact, I don't think we should listen to them on the topic.

Re: Games with loot boxes to get minimum 16 age rating across Europe

#124

Post by xg15 »

amiga386 wrote: post #84
mikkupikku wrote: post #5

Do they let 16 year olds gamble in casinos in Europe? Odd to ban it for kids but only some kids.

What are "kids"? Age of majority is all over the place, there's no hard and fast rule for when adolescents become adults, every society on the planet has a different take on it. For example, you can get married at 16 in the UK, but can't drive until 17 (it's not a priority as we didn't build so many car-dependent hellscapes), and you can buy alcohol at 18 or be given it with a meal by your parents at younger ages, be…

If someone opposes regulation on X, the first line of rhetoric defense seems always to be "oh, what is 'X' even? Does it even exist? Is Y also 'X'? You don't want to ban Y, do you?"

In this case, if the focus is on the psychological mechanisms that underly gambling (varying rewards) in connection where they are used to compel people to spend vast amounts of money for nothing, I don't see how the question whether or not there could be a monetary payoff is relevant. The psychological mechanism and potential damage is the same.

Re: Games with loot boxes to get minimum 16 age rating across Europe

#125

Post by technothrasher »

hofrogs wrote: post #118
chrisjj wrote: post #112

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Brain vulnerabilities? So ban alcoholic drinks and thrill rides too?

Thrill rides? Probably not, I don't think there are many people having their life ruined by their addiction to amusement parks. Alcoholic drinks? History of bans like that suggests that it's not a good idea. However that doesn't mean that nothing can be done. Addictions to alcohol, drugs, smoking, gambling damage both the person suffering from them and the friends/loved ones around that person. It is most likely impo…

Hmm, so why do your perfectly reasonable thoughts on how to reduce alcohol abuse in light of not being able to simply ban it not apply to loot boxes as well? How is it different such that "completely banning", as you suggested, is a good idea there where it isn't for alcohol, drugs, smoking, and gambling (of which loot boxes are clearly a subcategory)?

Re: Games with loot boxes to get minimum 16 age rating across Europe

#126

Post by downsplat »

technothrasher wrote: post #125
hofrogs wrote: post #118

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Thrill rides? Probably not, I don't think there are many people having their life ruined by their addiction to amusement parks. Alcoholic drinks? History of bans like that suggests that it's not a good idea. However that doesn't mean that nothing can be done. Addictions to alcohol, drugs, smoking, gambling damage both the person suffering from them and the friends/loved ones around that person. It is most likely impo…

Hmm, so why do your perfectly reasonable thoughts on how to reduce alcohol abuse in light of not being able to simply ban it not apply to loot boxes as well? How is it different such that "completely banning", as you suggested, is a good idea there where it isn't for alcohol, drugs, smoking, and gambling (of which loot boxes are clearly a subcategory)?

Alcohol has been deeply embedded in human culture for thousands+ years, that's why prohibition is a bad idea. Loot boxes are a new invention, if they're deemed too harmful we can just do without them.

Re: Games with loot boxes to get minimum 16 age rating across Europe

#127

Post by hofrogs »

technothrasher wrote: post #125
hofrogs wrote: post #118

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Thrill rides? Probably not, I don't think there are many people having their life ruined by their addiction to amusement parks. Alcoholic drinks? History of bans like that suggests that it's not a good idea. However that doesn't mean that nothing can be done. Addictions to alcohol, drugs, smoking, gambling damage both the person suffering from them and the friends/loved ones around that person. It is most likely impo…

Hmm, so why do your perfectly reasonable thoughts on how to reduce alcohol abuse in light of not being able to simply ban it not apply to loot boxes as well? How is it different such that "completely banning", as you suggested, is a good idea there where it isn't for alcohol, drugs, smoking, and gambling (of which loot boxes are clearly a subcategory)?

Lootboxes are not entrenched in society yet. They are a new phenomenon that could hopefully be stopped in its tracks (but probably won't since it will impact profits)

Re: Games with loot boxes to get minimum 16 age rating across Europe

#128

Post by elAhmo »

chrisjj wrote: post #112
hofrogs wrote: post #98

"Lootboxes", "cases", "packs" and other chance-based systems that involve spending real money or an in-game currency that could be obtained by spending real money should be banned completely, all of those systems exploit brain vulnerabilities for profit. Also, prediction markets, sports betting, online casinos, shitcoin exchanges.

Brain vulnerabilities? So ban alcoholic drinks and thrill rides too?

Apples and oranges right there

Re: Games with loot boxes to get minimum 16 age rating across Europe

#129

Post by thaumasiotes »

Ekaros wrote: post #76
notrealyme123 wrote: post #73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can buy trading cards in lots of stores. Pokémon, soccer and so on. It's hard to draw a line without banning those as well.

So much that could be done with those. Mandating age checks. Covering at least 80% of them with warnings about gambling. Maybe plain packaging and only allowing them from behind counter or unmarked automated systems. Treat them as tobacco products.

You can just ban them. Pass a law that says if someone buys an item the identity of which is undisclosed, and they're not happy with it, they're entitled to a full refund.

Re: Games with loot boxes to get minimum 16 age rating across Europe

#130

Post by sevenzero »

chrisjj wrote: post #112
hofrogs wrote: post #98

"Lootboxes", "cases", "packs" and other chance-based systems that involve spending real money or an in-game currency that could be obtained by spending real money should be banned completely, all of those systems exploit brain vulnerabilities for profit. Also, prediction markets, sports betting, online casinos, shitcoin exchanges.

Brain vulnerabilities? So ban alcoholic drinks and thrill rides too?

Yes please ban alcohol/make it hard to get.
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