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

bbc.com

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

#31

Post by zeta0134 »

rkagerer wrote: post #28

Loot boxes are an in-game feature allowing players to buy random mystery items with real or virtual currency That's not how I use the term. I think of a loot box as a treasure chest or similar that you discover while exploring which, when opened, gives you some loot! On the other hand if you're talking about a package with a random assortment of stuff in it that you buy without knowing what's inside, I call that a "g…

I started seeing this term come up everywhere when Overwatch first released. The common usage is much closer to mystery bundles as you describe, and regulators tend to be upset about them when real money gets involved. It feels an awful lot like gambling at that point.

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

#32

Post by jcranmer »

rkagerer wrote: post #28

Loot boxes are an in-game feature allowing players to buy random mystery items with real or virtual currency That's not how I use the term. I think of a loot box as a treasure chest or similar that you discover while exploring which, when opened, gives you some loot! On the other hand if you're talking about a package with a random assortment of stuff in it that you buy without knowing what's inside, I call that a "g…

The term "loot box" has, since I want to say the early 2010s, referred to the mechanic described in the quote. It's hard for me to say what the earliest games were to create this mechanic, especially since its origin seems not to be in the traditional Western games but in East Asian games.

The model is very strongly associated with the rise of "live service" gaming, with Overwatch and Battlefield being some of the more notorious offenders.

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

#33

Post by MiiMe19 »

benoau wrote: post #3
nba456_ wrote: post #2

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

Because in real life the store clerk won't let a child spend $1000 on their parents card making purchases again and again and again and again and again, but a video game will let a child do it in less than an hour and consider that a success and try to understand how to stimulate another child to do so.

With the rise of online storefronts and employees who just don't care I beg to differ.

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

#34

Post by edelbitter »

erxam wrote: post #13

Okay? How will this actually change anything? I don't think I have ever paid attention to a single age rating in my entire life. Does anyone do outside of fundamentalist parents who wouldn't let kids play most video games anyways? Very spiritually European move. What regulators should do is focus on easily applicable percentage-based fines. Make sure it's not just another line item.

This is not a regulators move. This is the industry slightly adjusting their recommendations to parents. Will this change anything? Maybe it will help the industry avoid being targeted by actual regulation.

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

#36

Post by philistine »

nba456_ wrote: post #2

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

Resale value protects The Pokémon Company. Your child spent all your money on Pokémon cards? Resell the cards. You've just realized your 15 years long obsession has broken your life? Resell the cards.

Aggrieved parties can partly get restoration. That way there never is enough political momentum to legiferate them. Try to resell your Fortnite account and they close it.

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

#37

Post by travisjungroth »

TheAceOfHearts wrote: post #18
nba456_ wrote: post #2

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

Pokemon cards have gone full circle, GameStop now has an online service where you can gamble on cards digitally just like lootboxes. You buy a roll at different price points to win a PSA graded card from a set of probabilities, and then you can sell it back for 90% market value to GameStop or have them ship it to you. The proliferation of gambling over so many domains has radicalized me against it in a way that I did…

Woah, you can sell it back to them? That’s normally the line that isn’t crossed. You sell it at the store next door (pachinko) or on the open market (trading card games and digital items).

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

#38

Post by october8140 »

benoau wrote: post #3
nba456_ wrote: post #2

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

Because in real life the store clerk won't let a child spend $1000 on their parents card making purchases again and again and again and again and again, but a video game will let a child do it in less than an hour and consider that a success and try to understand how to stimulate another child to do so.

A kid can’t clean out the Pokemon vending machines just the same. I’m in favor of not letting kids gamble but wish it was applied across the board.

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

#39

Post by delta_p_delta_x »

jcranmer wrote: post #32
rkagerer wrote: post #28

Loot boxes are an in-game feature allowing players to buy random mystery items with real or virtual currency That's not how I use the term. I think of a loot box as a treasure chest or similar that you discover while exploring which, when opened, gives you some loot! On the other hand if you're talking about a package with a random assortment of stuff in it that you buy without knowing what's inside, I call that a "g…

The term "loot box" has, since I want to say the early 2010s, referred to the mechanic described in the quote. It's hard for me to say what the earliest games were to create this mechanic, especially since its origin seems not to be in the traditional Western games but in East Asian games. The model is very strongly associated with the rise of "live service" gaming, with Overwatch and Battlefield being some of the mo…

I was under the impression Eastern games preferred the loan word 'gacha'.
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