Posted February 25, 2019 (edited) The Federal Trade Commission will hold a public workshop later this year to discuss the ethics of loots boxes. This is largely due to Senator Maggie Hassan request to Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) asking the self-regulating entity to "review the completeness of the board's ratings process and policies as they relate to loot boxes and to take into account the potential harm these types of micro-transactions may have on children." Opponents to loot box regulations say loot boxes are not gambling because they have no real-world value, players always receive something that enhances their experience, and they are entirely optional to purchase. I'm interested to see what you guys think about this? I think we should go back to the days where you could choose to buy that sweet new weapon/character skin instead of relying on luck-of-the-draw. Source 1: ArsTechnica - FTC plans to examine loot boxes with public workshop later this year Source 2: ArsTechnica - US Senator demands review of loot box policies, citing potential harm Edited February 25, 2019 by AGiantTurd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Posted February 25, 2019 The 'no real world value' part is completely untrue, especially since you're paying real world money for it in the first place. NEW PC build: Blank Heaven minimalist white and black PC Old S340 build log "White Heaven" The "LIGHTCANON" flashlight build log Project AntiRoll (prototype) Custom speaker project Spoiler Ryzen 3950X | AMD Vega Frontier Edition | ASUS X570 Pro WS | Corsair Vengeance LPX 64GB | NZXT H500 | Seasonic Prime Fanless TX-700 | Custom loop | Coolermaster SK630 White | Logitech MX Master 2S | Samsung 980 Pro 1TB + 970 Pro 512GB | Samsung 58" 4k TV | Scarlett 2i4 | 2x AT2020 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Posted February 25, 2019 I personally don't care. I don't really unbox in TF2 because I find it easier just to buy the shit I want off of the SCM. Check out my guide on how to scan cover art here! Local asshole and 6th generation console enthusiast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Posted February 25, 2019 Author If the FTC actually does anything it could affect how games are designed. I'm thinking of EA's Battlefront 2, Overwatch, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Posted February 25, 2019 Not only do you pay for them with IRL cash, but don't some games give you the ability to trade those items with other players? I don't play games like this, so my opinion isn't as valid, but if you can trade items who's to say people don't just pay others IRL for what they got? Ultimately, even if you restrict buying loot boxes to the games own currency (so not real money) people will always be like "yo bruh, I'll give you five bucks and handjob for that weapon skin" so there's not a whole lot one can do to curve this already. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Posted February 25, 2019 they had to abuse this shit soo much that it is a thing the Gouvernment has to look at (to make money off of?) They couldn't stop in their neverending greed at a point that is acceptable, they had to cross all lines. "Hell is full of good meanings, but Heaven is full of good works" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Posted February 25, 2019 Lootboxes are the pinnacle of BS in modern game monetization. They are the ultimate form of being too lazy and greedy to make real game design but still wanting to get every penny out of players. For real the self regulatory in game business has failed a long time ago and governments should have done something years ago and not just think about it now. The first symptomps of things going very bad were when games started to use gambling mechanics in the first place, no not the lootboxes, a long long time ago when someone came up with the same idea as casinos, having "chips" instead of dollars. At that point it should have been clear that the self-regulatory will fail when the alarms weren't sounded when games started to use one of the oldest and most efficient ways how casinos milk money out of people. But no one did anything else than game developers patted each others backs for a "good and great" design and ESBR and others were there too patting backs. The real ugly face of the state of the business is really when the one and only game developer assosiation that is supposed to be neutral and handle some parts of the morality keeps countries starting to ban lootboxes "restricting artistic freedom of game developers". There's no fucking art in there, there's just laziness, greed and bullshit. And yes, I'm talking about IGDA. It's like in about 10 years almost every game developer forgot how to make games that are successful and almost everybody just turned out to compete how lazy they can be and how much they can milk money out of players without doing a shit. Don't take me wrong, there still is some developers who try to keep some sanity in the business and make great games without relying onto gambling and money milking techniques. Probably the worst state is in the mobile markets. Especially Chinese developers don't even develope games, they just take some pretty simple game cycle and monetize the shit out of it with lootboxes, intrusive ads and almost every single way they can. Not to even mention that quite many of them just ripoff other games just to be even more lazy and then there's marketing, "misleading hoax" would be very nicely said what is going on. Also slotgames sponsored and assosiated with real gambling corporations and casinos... How fucking more gambling and moneygrab games need to go before A) People see that the only aim is to ripoff and B) governments notice that the whole business has gone gambling without paying related taxes or respecting related laws? So, yeah, I hope much more countries would take the matter on the table and put the game business back into legal tracks and not somewhere around the grey area where they are now. ESBR and PEGI have proven that the self-regulation has failed a long time ago and it's time to regulate it through legistation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Posted February 25, 2019 48 minutes ago, handymanshandle said: I personally don't care. I don't really unbox in TF2 because I find it easier just to buy the shit I want off of the SCM. Its usually cheaper too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Posted February 25, 2019 As long as the company accurately list what items are in them and the odds, I see no problem with them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Posted February 25, 2019 What if these games help people realize they have an issue with gambling while they are young and the consequences are low instead of realizing it when they are older and having severe consequences. If you really think about it loot boxes are for the greater good Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Posted February 25, 2019 Good, now lets hope the people reviewing them know what "loot boxes", or even an "online game", is. RIP EA's stock... Main Rig: cpu: Intel 6600k OC @ 4.5Ghz; gpu: Gigabyte Gaming OC RTX 2080 (OC'd); mb: Gigabyte GA-Z170X-UD3; ram: 16 GB (2x8GB) 3000 G.Skill Ripjaws V; psu: EVGA 650BQ; storage: 500GB Samsung 850 evo, 2TB WD Black; case: Cooler Master HAF 912; cooling: Cooler Master Hyper 212 Evo, Lots of fans, Air!; display: 4k Samsung 42" TV, Asus MX259H 1080p audio: Schiit Audio Magni Amp w/ Audio Technica M50x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Posted February 25, 2019 17 minutes ago, Finwillwin said: I think government regulation of business (loot boxes) is great, but regulation of art (game design) is destructive. Loot boxes are manipulative garbage. The main problem is the big companies try to lobby that monetization = game design = art (while in reality monetization is part of the game design, but it's not part of the art side of the game design), which is why real hardcore regulation would be needed to weed off the predatory practices. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Posted February 25, 2019 I wish they would outlaw data caps first. Lootboxes are fine if the game is free, but annoying if the game isn't free. Even more annoying if they directly affect gameplay in any way Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Posted February 25, 2019 I wish they would just outright ban any and all forms of loot boxes. You should know exactly what you are getting if it is being purchased with real money, or purchased via in-game currency that can be obtain through real money. End of story, they should not be allowed. Only exception would be if there is no way to purchase the loot box with real money, that includes buying in-game currency, with real money, to buy the loot box. GPU: XFX RX 7900 XTX CPU: Ryzen 7 7800X3D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Posted February 25, 2019 13 minutes ago, Orangeator said: I wish they would just outright ban any and all forms of loot boxes. You should know exactly what you are getting if it is being purchased with real money, or purchased via in-game currency that can be obtain through real money. End of story, they should not be allowed. Only exception would be if there is no way to purchase the loot box with real money, that includes buying in-game currency, with real money, to buy the loot box. I agree but it will escalade eventually. It cannot be prevented. Its easy to get around. Lets say you are overwatch. Tomorrow you cannot sell it anymore. Instead sell a small map when you can go kill a couple enemies and depending on your time you get RND drops. Which leads to the exact same result but you did not buy a loot box. You bought an access to a new level which include more drops. Then next thing you know they go ban all RNG you can get of any type from bought content. Then no more RPG exists. Oh and EA completely close down Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Posted February 25, 2019 There are people who actually like loot boxes. When I played Apex Legends there were people bragging about how much they had spent on loot crates for weapon skins. Ethics aside, there are people who are willing to continue paying for loot boxes. Once you ban loot boxes, the game companies will front the cost elsewhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Posted February 25, 2019 2 minutes ago, ThePD said: There are people who actually like loot boxes. When I played Apex Legends there were people bragging about how much they had spent on loot crates for weapon skins. Ethics aside, there are people who are willing to continue paying for loot boxes. Once you ban loot boxes, the game companies will front the cost elsewhere. I don't understand why not just sell that content directly. Maybe I am just old fashion, but if I want to say, buy that specific weapon skin in the game, why not just sell it to me directly? I refuse to buy a chance at receiving that weapon skin... That's called gambling. I on principle, do not gamble. GPU: XFX RX 7900 XTX CPU: Ryzen 7 7800X3D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Posted February 25, 2019 2 minutes ago, Orangeator said: I don't understand why not just sell that content directly. Maybe I am just old fashion, but if I want to say, buy that specific weapon skin in the game, why not just sell it to me directly? I refuse to buy a chance at receiving that weapon skin... That's called gambling. I on principle, do not gamble. You don't. But others do. These companies know that they can increase margins dramatically if the person has a strong chance of never obtaining what they originally wanted in the first place, but put it behind something that has the appearance of 'fun'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Posted February 25, 2019 Ban them all they ruin video games transforming them into casinos, also kids (including me when i was a 16-17) wasted money on gambling boxes a lot of frustration and addiction almost, ive experienced the same symptoms you see on casino gamblers they just keep on going and going it doesnt end. Reminds me of this abomination by Nexon i would throw them all in jail not just ban their games/boxes. Every click is 2$+ meh https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9B_92Rx5V0 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Posted February 25, 2019 1 hour ago, Orangeator said: I wish they would just outright ban any and all forms of loot boxes. Why ban though? I don't call for a ban for everything I don't like. 1 hour ago, Orangeator said: I don't understand why not just sell that content directly. Some people don't want any item specifically and have some extra money. Sometimes I have a few extra dollars on my steam account and just use it to buy rocket league crate keys for example. I don't want anything specific, just literally whatever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Posted February 25, 2019 Just now, poochyena said: Why ban though? Because a handful of people can't control themselves, so we need to punish the rest of society. Come Bloody Angel Break off your chains And look what I've found in the dirt. Pale battered body Seems she was struggling Something is wrong with this world. Fierce Bloody Angel The blood is on your hands Why did you come to this world? Everybody turns to dust. Everybody turns to dust. The blood is on your hands. The blood is on your hands! Pyo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Posted February 25, 2019 10 minutes ago, Drak3 said: handful Yeah, no... NOT a handful. Nearly every human being has inherit cognitive biases that drastically affect their logical reasoning when it comes to gambling. GPU: XFX RX 7900 XTX CPU: Ryzen 7 7800X3D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Posted February 25, 2019 At least old method you know what you paying for (In game currency). I would rather buy something instead of getting the chance of getting the same item by opening loot boxes, in the end you probably spend more in lootboxes than just buying set item. Magical Pineapples
