Belgian Minister of Justice Koen Geens wants to ban the sale of games with loot boxes.

fantaskarsef

2017-11-22 14:53

Angantyr:

And it also just hit the news that The State Of Hawaii Investigating EA For "Predatory Practices"

So they pay a bit of pocket money to help Hawaii's budget and get out of it again. Can't imagine something happening there either tbh.

#5494695

Angantyr

2017-11-22 15:00

fantaskarsef:

So they pay a bit of pocket money to help Hawaii's budget and get out of it again. Can't imagine something happening there either tbh.

While the cynic in me would probably agree to this, but I think I'll see it in another way. I think, that lootboxes being seen by lawmakers as a predatory practice targeted at children is something that could gain momentum. To the point where it becomes politically beneficial to take a stand against lootboxes.

#5494706

RealNC

2017-11-22 15:27

I have so little faith in politicians these days, where I view even this kind of news with my extreme cynical glasses on. Like "we're only doing this because EA didn't pay us millions of dollars to lobby in favor of loot boxes." Yes, I'm that guy at parties.

#5494710

Reardan

2017-11-22 15:33

Backstabak:

Isn't this exactly the same as with casino chips ? You go to the casino, exchange your money for chips and then gamble with them. While the idea of people being smarter is great, it simply does not work. There was a similar trend 50 years ago about safety in electronic devices. Many thought that we can educated masses on how to safely use electronic devices. None of this ever worked like that, we now therefore have devices, where you cannot reach any internal parts with fingers, tounge or any other body part. You can also look into your microwave manual, where you"ll find a stern warning not to attempt to dry your pets in it.

It's absolutely no different. You put in your money, you pull the lever, you get your prize. It's a slot machine through and through. And they know that. The fact of the matter is they have the numbers, they know this behavior makes them money because a small percentage of people spend tens of thousands of dollars on the items and they know a large percentage of those people can't afford it. The idea that these are all just wealthy people exercising their capitalistic rights to spend their money how they wish is ridiculous. Most of them are addicted to the slot machine and it's doing their life harm. Morally, they have a responsibility to take action. They're taking advantage of vulnerable people and children and they know it and they keep doing it. It's unacceptable. I've personally stopped playing games with loot boxes where the items can't be bought outright.

#5494714

Stormyandcold

2017-11-22 15:53

Dwwolf:

Completely ridiculous. These are clearly digital analogs to physical goods that have been sold for decades. Trading cards, game cards. Is the good minister going to ban the sale of Pokemon or Magic the Gathering foil packages? Clearly he is not.

It's been a long time since I was a kid. However, do you remember collecting stickers for a book as a kid? Back then you could actually order the exact stickers you needed to complete your book, so, there is a working system that existed decades ago that sticker/card collecting can work from. Just like Steam has a working system for buying items for csgo, team fortress etc. There's also nothing wrong with a card game being boxed and sold as the complete edition.

#5494717

Prince Valiant

2017-11-22 16:11

fantaskarsef:

Like this will ever hit the real parliament and be passed. They probably could not sell a single current multiplayer title anymore.

All they'd have to do is remove the garbage. I don't see what the problem with that would be.

#5494726

XP-200

2017-11-22 16:58

Well the one thing that all this bad PR may do is have Disney not renew the Star Wars licence with EA once it is up, hell if the bad PR continues Disney might alter the deal before the licence is up, that would be a interesting situation.

#5494741

The Laughing Ma

2017-11-22 18:37

@Barry J: The article doesn't say anything about micro-transactions in general, it only mentions loot boxes. So micro-transactions in games like GTA V where you can buy 8 million of GTA$ for like 60€, for which you can only buy one or two premium in-game items is still possible, because 'you know what you're buying in advance'.

You see back in the day this wasn't an issue.. well honestly it actually wasn't an issue the most expensive super back then was 1mill so a high end Megladon card could buy you 8 of those cars. You also had the scenario were Rcokstar knew what they were doing and the DLCs appeared in complete sets at decent prices and fitted with the tone and theme of the game. It's only the last two years that Rcokstar have really doubled downed increasing the price of content to stupid levels (the latest Super car release coming in at 2.4mil) the game prices have inflated but the actual price of the Shark Cards and how much you get has stayed the same and lets not forget that Rcokstar have tried their own hand at a very close to lootbox system. The research in the Gun Running DLC could be paid for using in game currency at $250,000 a pop you couldn't select what you wanted to research it was chosen totally at random and the potential real world cost if you wanted to use Shark Card would have been close to £150 and many of the research items were more than just cosmetic, ask anyone who has had to deal with someone spamming the explosive sniper rifle.

#5494742

RealNC

2017-11-22 18:39

XP-200:

Well the one thing that all this bad PR may do is have Disney not renew the Star Wars licence with EA once it is up, hell if the bad PR continues Disney might alter the deal before the licence is up, that would be a interesting situation.

Nah. What will happen is Disney wanting huge cuts per sold in-game transaction, in addition to the license cost and other royalties.

#5494746

vonSternberg

2017-11-22 18:59

This is a matter for consumers to decide, not the government.

#5494756

XP-200

2017-11-22 19:23

^^Actually most if not all governments around the world already had laws protecting children from underage gambling, it is just that the gaming industry have flown under the radar for so long with these practices that they got complacent, and now they brought the light onto themselves, silly people. lol

RealNC:

Nah. What will happen is Disney wanting huge cuts per sold in-game transaction, in addition to the license cost and other royalties.

Well you hit a good point, i bet Disney has had full approval of everything to do with the SWBF games, and that might also included LB, so it will be interesting to see if indeed they did sanction them, assuming they did........Disney and underage gambling in violent video games with a 13 age rating, you can almost see the massive burning of Disney products across the bible belt if this ever get's any traction. lol

#5494787

gx-x

2017-11-22 21:25

Wow. EA and others will have to do without 10K Belgium players...Oh Lord, how ever will they cope...

This is a matter for consumers to decide, not the government.

Drug users agree. 😀

#5494816

TheDeeGee

2017-11-22 23:53

This will probably result in games becoming super grindy... GG Failgium.

#5494823

sammarbella

2017-11-23 00:50

gx-x:

Wow. EA and others will have to do without 10K Belgium players...Oh Lord, how ever will they cope...

Belgium market is tiny but policies from there can affect the whole continent, European bureaucrats are there...

#5494825

CalculuS

2017-11-23 00:55

I agree with this.

#5494834

TheDeeGee

2017-11-23 01:58

So people rather pay $15-20 for a Legendary Skin, instead of being able to earn Lootboxes for Free by just playing and earn them all? Suddenly Lootboxes arn't sounding bad anymore do they?

#5494865

Reddoguk

2017-11-23 05:27

If it's not known what's inside a create after purchase that is considered gambling in most EU countries. Rocket League get's away with it because it shows you everything that's possible to win. I still find it as gambling though because you could buy a lot of keys just to try get one thing, whether it be Decals/Cars/Wheels/other no item that's giving you any in game benefit though like BFII does. I'm glad Disney pulled it because the game would of been ruined for me had they not.

#5494867

KissSh0t

2017-11-23 05:39

This news pleases me in adult grown up ways. I wonder how many game devs are pissed off at EA..........

#5494897

fantaskarsef

2017-11-23 09:28

Prince Valiant:

All they'd have to do is remove the garbage. I don't see what the problem with that would be.

The problem is that they earn lots of money with it and won't easily let go, unless forced to. And I don't see that law getting past parliament tbh, let alone become a standard. If the industry themselves don't decide they've gone too far, they won't just give in with the first slap on the fingers I'm afraid.

#5494908

TheDeeGee

2017-11-23 10:03

Reddoguk:

If it's not known what's inside a create after purchase that is considered gambling in most EU countries. Rocket League get's away with it because it shows you everything that's possible to win. I still find it as gambling though because you could buy a lot of keys just to try get one thing, whether it be Decals/Cars/Wheels/other no item that's giving you any in game benefit though like BFII does. I'm glad Disney pulled it because the game would of been ruined for me had they not.

Then Heroes of the Storm and Overwatch should get a clear. Because you can preview every single item you can earn as well.