Games that include “paid random items” – a blanket phrase designed to refer to loot boxes, card packs, and other similar in-game purchases with a random element – will now be marked as such. European ratings board PEGI already includes a symbol for titles which feature microtransactions, but it will now specify whether this includes items with random chances attached. Sports games such as FIFA 20 with its card collecting Ultimate Team mode will include the additional text, for example.
American ratings board ESRB will also add additional information to game cases, once again focusing on “random items”. You can see how the new labels will look in both territories below:
This follows an enormous backlash to loot boxes across the globe, including some government intervention. In the Netherlands, the Dutch Gaming Authority deemed that loot boxes could be considered a form of gambling, and thus banned them from sale in 2018.
Comments 15
Step in the right direction, but should still be classified as gambling for as long as real money is allowed to be used
Imo
It's a start I guess. Keep hitting back and we'll actually get somewhere with these stubborn greedy companies.
The fact that more people are waking up and EA even has to disclose chance percentages in some countries is a step in the right direction.
Makes it much easier for me to avoid buying these games in the first place
Good. Step in the right direction for sure. I don’t really get games like this, but now I’ll know what to avoid even more so
Doesn’t go far enough imo. Rather than “paid random items”, it should say something like “optional gambling element using real money”.
Still considers appropriate for 3 year olds.
Paid loot boxes should be banned at all.
If you waste money on some digital crap (costumes, characters) that makes NOTHING in game, it is your problem or stupidity.
If you waste money on other digital crap (legendaries, weapons, armor) that in some way pushes your progress, ok it is acceptable because you are just too lazy to play than it is your problem OR game is above your abilities to go forward, here you must rethink if it is worth of wasting money or just greed of company to push you for paying by making game too hard (almost every mobile game, but they are free to play and it is another story). Globally you get what you buy.
But finally if you waste your money on blind box full of digital crap (that can be duplicated!!!) then better visit some specialist, that you have a problem with giving your money to greedy people for foggy possibility to recieve digital crap.
Companies made blind boxes as another level how to steal your money. How to sell you something (nothing) for more money. And that is the problem. Even if in blind box is item you want, it is still digital crap (nothing).
Remember 5 laws.
1. You already paid for game!!!
2. Buy only add-ons that gives you MORE fun! (DLC, Level, Quest... better wait and buy GOTY or Deluxe or Gold edition)
3. If you don't need it to complete game, don't buy it!
4. If it is necessary to complete game, it MUST be in game without paying extra money!
5. Everything in game is digital - virtual - non-existing in real life, and everybody that forces you to thing that you need pay extra real money for something you don't need in game is greedy b*stard.
We all pay for virtual fun, but it must be complete as it is. And if we can have more, we should recieve, what we bought.
Wast of money you could have used to buy a new game with non random items in the base game! When I got to the point I wanted the DLC in Spiderman, I bought Days Gone. I stay far away from shooters and sport games the are plagued with paid loot boxes.
well it's a small step but a step in the right direction at least
Hard to believe the ESA is owned by the big software companies and the ESRB is an off shoot of the ESA. Right?
These guys are trying to cover the fact that "loot boxes" are included in some of their biggest products and they DON'T want to walk that back.
I agree with Nightcrawler71 when he/she says it does not go far enough.
Example: the FIFA series is marked "E" for everyone and yet it is more of a casino than EA will admit. A casino that is available to a 9 year old that has their parents credit card number. Same is true for Battlefield, Madden, NBA2K, etc.
Just say, "Includes loot boxes" and tell it like it is.
The ESRB is not going to fully communicate what is going on as long as it's master is holding the reigns.
Honestly I think this is pointless as most people who play games with loot boxes already know they are there, then you get the parents that buy these games for kids, they already buy games like cod and GTA which have a 18 rating on it, so this they won't even notice. They should have a big notice on the front saying something along the lines of gambling mechanics or something. But still don't think that would make a difference. Remember when you got cosmetic stuff for actually completing games and not have to buy them😀. I personally think they should either be banned or any game that contains loot boxes etc should be rated 18, the amount of money people waste on this rubbish is astonishing, remember when I was working in a chippy and there was a 15yr old working with me and he spent 100 quid on FIFA in a weekend I just remember looking at him and saying why? Why don't you just play the game and enjoy it? He replied oh I want to get a good team to play with, I just replied why don't you just play online with the teams that are already there, he said no I prefer getting the player I want to play with, so I can beat my m8s. It's just ridiculous.
That’s definitely a start.
Should say "in game gambling"
With a small explanation at the back of the box
"This game has a suprise mechanic called Micro transactions, loot box a item where you pay with real money or (in game currency if title allows) where there is a (insert odds here) chance of winning a rare item or a set of random in game items such as cards, skins, weapons etc for more information please visit www.lootboxMTshouldbereallybannedforever.com/yourjustgivingmoremoneytodhareholders
@Nakatomi_Uk the thing is PEGI already has a icon for gambling
they should just put this on the box of every game that has a loot box in it but they wont because then the games have to be rated 18+ and so companies like EA can't sell their gambling mechanics to little jimmy who got hold of his dad's credit card
@3MonthBeef check numbers. Or has it another meaning?
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