Microtransactions and Loot Boxes Aren't the Devil, and They're Not Gambling

Regardless of whether one likes or dislikes microtransactions, one thing is for sure. Not all of them are bad, and they aren't gambling.

[UCForce]

I don't like it. Microtransaction is just BS to me.

[Ittoittosai]

They absolutely are gambling.

[nitus10]

Unfortunately, the ESRB likens "loot-boxes" to trading cards but trading cards give you the player a physical item which if there is a demand can be either traded for a different item or for money. Items in a "loot-box" can't be traded or resold.

I don't have a problem with in-game gambling if the currency used can't be purchased with real money but as part of the earnings, you get through the natural progression of the game. Many older games (eg Zelda1, Breath of Fire 2, Dragon Quest 8, Final Fantasy etc) had this although it was a good idea to save your game prior to entering a casino.

If you look at the concept of "loot-boxes" you have the option of purchasing them with real money or you can in some cases purchase them with in-game currency. Either way, the items you get in a "loot-box" are random. You could liken this to going to a casino and playing with "chips" or playing slot machines.

Sure you can play games which have "loot-boxes" without making any real money payments but some games are geared such that even a good player will have to grind and then you have "pay to win" or "pay to not needlessly grind".

If you look at Star Wars Battlefront II you can now get buffs for your weapons and attributes in "loot-boxes" and you have the option of paying real money or grinding (guess what many addicts will do?). This is what I would call "pay to win" although EA has said it is fair.

Note: You cannot equate the items in a "loot-box" to a trading card game one is ethereal and the other is a physical item although the ESRB would disagree with me on this.

[ArmrdChaos]

I don't get were people don't think this is gambling. It is the same exact mechanic. You pay money for the chance you get something back you desire. With traditional gambling that would be more money, but in gaming it would instead be some item you want.....be it cosmetic or otherwise. More desirable the item the crappier they make the odds of getting it so you pay more money. They are basically using the same addictive tactic Vegas and other places use to sucker people in. If players really wanted to get loot crates out of regular games all it would require is a class action lawsuit under the argument that they would be providing an environment where minors can gamble. You really don't want a law against this since it would destroy MMOs where the mechanic makes sense, but a legal threat could get the companies to remove it from games where they don't belong.

[Gh05t]

Because you always get something back. I dont get how you people cant grasp that. There is no true LOSER in this scenario. You may not get what you want but you got something for your money. If the box opened and said better luck next time with the only way to buy the box is through paid currency that can not be earned in game then it would be gambling.

Gambling involves risk to lose money > this is trading money for the hopes you get what you desire but will always get something. HUGE technical difference.

[CrimsonWing69]

Loot boxes business structure revolves around the concept of a gamble. Otherwise you’d just be purchasing what you want.

I think what people like this editor thinks is just because you don’t win money and you technically always get something it doesn’t make it gambling.

However, you can spend money and not get anything you want or need prompting you to buy another loot box and to me that’s the same as not winning anything and again that’s the gamble you take.

Loot boxes should remain in mp games where it makes sense. The problem I have is when it seeps into single player games.

[Chaosdreams]

I'd simply add to your point (well made by the way).

- loot boxes in multiplayer should be cosmetic. They shouldn't influence actual stats/gameplay mechanics.

While back in the day everything was essentially free, times changed and now we pay for everything (if the devs/pubs) get what they want. So, cosmetic loot boxes is as far as I'd go on a compromise.

[Omnisonne]

Yeah I'm not buying the ''It's not gambling if you get something in return''. Everyone buys lootboxes with the intent to get a select few things, mostly the rarest, like going for the jackpot.
Ending up with standard loot is akin to winning $10 back on your $50 that you threw into the slot machine, yeah you got something back, but it's neither what you want nor was it equal to the investment.

Loot boxes simply shouldn't have the option to be purchased, but should be earned through gameplay. Whether randomized loot is a gameplay mechanic you're into or not then becomes a separate thing.

[bigmalky]

I'd add multiplayer, free to play, 18+ age rated games.

[The 10th Rider]

Yeah, DLC is overboard these days, but it's not always bad. Microtransactions ro purchase a specific item or skin suck, but ultimately can be ignored. Lootboxes however, you're paying money for a *chance* at getting something. In an online game loot boxes can be alright as long as they're also offered as a reward for playing the game and they don't give anyone an advantage over anyone else. That doubles as an incentive for people to keep playing. However in single-player games it is 100% unnecessary.

[Nyxus]

Come on, let's not defend these things.

[CP_Company]

retarded opinion.

people are against MT, deal with it. and i hope so that this shit going to reach governments and they will make necessary laws which forbids to using them. enough is enough.

[Malphite]

For someone who mentions logical thinking the writer makes a lot of illogical and irrational statements from the get go. The assumptions that people spending money on MTs doesn't affect your expirience because you "aren't forced to buy" is in essence very shortsighted and shows a lack of understanding how the market works. Consumer behavior dictates what is acceptable and what's not. We as consumers are voting with our wallet whenever we are making a purchase. Once a practice is accepted by the majority of people, cultural adaptation will take care of the rest over time.

The question becomes where do you draw the line. And the problem is that the companies know how to push you back one tiny step at a time. After some time you don't even realise how you end up where you're standing.

Just think back ten years and compare it to where we are now. I'm reading an article of someone defending Microtransactions by saying some people may not have the time to invest like I do without realising that those games are balanced around exactly that aspect to give people an incentive to pay. What happened to people that didn't have the time in the past where MT's weren't a thing? Well they could usually just use cheat codes. Do you remember cheat codes? They were doing the same thing that people are now paying real money for.

[yomfweeee]

Consumer behavior has already spoken and no matter how many times you all whine about loot boxes... it is highly successful as a business model.

[nitus10]

Yes but so is gambling and it is even more successful if you get chumps err players to "pay to win" or "pay not
to needlessly grind". Sorry games that do this are a no purchase for me.

[stuna1]

Well Said! You are someone who definitely understands how the market works and the influential undertones it has on the general consumer base.

In so many instances it been proven that the majority rules the minority when it comes to irrational thinking!

[senorfartcushion]

The rule that seperates gambling and loot boxes is stupid. Because you can't pay to gamble more with the contents you earn makes it something other than gambling.

That is a lot worse. You bet money on something that won't benefit you in the future. These boxes need to go.

[FloydianAndroid]

Xbox is my console of choice, but it’s asinine to say paying money for a chance of getting some rare prize is gambling. It’s the same thing as going to a Carnival and playing a game where you always win a small stuffed animal, but there’s a remote chance of winning a huge one lol

[Liqu1d]

So if slot machines were guaranteed to pay out at least a penny every time it wouldn't be gambling anymore?

[FloydianAndroid]

I typed is instead of isn’t by accident. It’s obvious I was saying that it is gambling.

[Enjoigamin]

Until people stop buying them on all platforms they won't go away..i have been suckered into it once or twice....did I possibly have 11 beers in me at the time? Why yes I did and thats where they got me...and took full advantage of my visa.

[FloydianAndroid]

I’m an Xbox fan, but it’s ignorant to say paying real money for remote chance of winning an ultra rare item isn’t gambling. It is plain and simple.

[staticall]

Microtransactions must be ONLY in free-to-play games, period.

And what do you mean, "They're not gambling"? You don't know the result, you placed a "bet" with real money/premium currency and system "spins the wheel" and tell you what you win (it might be low quality stuff you already have, it doesn't matter).
Imagine if you go to store, pay $10 for, let's say, good whiskey. Store clerk just spins the wheel and nah, today you're eating week old bread, good luck next time, pal! Wanna try again? Sure, just give me another $10. A-a-and... You got another week old bread, congrats!
Does that sounds fair to you? And keep in mind, you already paid $60 as entrance fee.

So stop defending this.

[The 10th Rider]

Yeah, if you were able to pay to get a specific skin or whatever that'd be one thing . . . I'd still grumble but it ultimately could be worse . . . the fact that they charge people for the *chance* to get certain items is what really ticks me off.

[FloydianAndroid]

I said that it was gambling are you illiterate ?

[343_Guilty_Spark]

MTs are a popular topic that gets the gaming community highly agitated; despite most MTs being completely optional and having no effect on the natural progression of a game. In other words most gamers see this topic, get over emotional and say they hate MTs simply because another gamer saw an article that baits gamers with catchy headlines suggesting you hate MTs.

[Chaosdreams]

Battlefront 2.

There's a prime example of where the gaming industry is headed. MTs are in fact, having influence on the progression system in games. As for Shadow of War, the end game content is up for debate on whether or not the sudden grind is indicative of enticing the loot boxes.

This isn't a matter of catchy headlines and clickbait articles. There's an actual struggle right now - and you just happen to be noticing more and more people pointing out they've had enough of devs/pubs creating more paywalls.

[Ashlen]

Are you completely incapable of seeing how this will progress in the future?

We already have pay to win and pay to not grind this holiday season. What happens next year and the year after that as these companies seek to make more money? The thing is, and it should be obvious the strategy is and always has been start out small and as time goes on tighten the grip to maximize profits.

And the worst part is the companies that are doing this are all the biggest companies, the ones that were guaranteed profit anyway. Battlefront sold what like 15 million units last year and it didn't even have a single player. BF2 was absolutely 100% guaranteed to make a profit, yet that didn't stop them from wanting to squeeze that much harder.

[UCForce]

Then people like you will be the one who cause another video game crash. Do you want to experience like the first video game crash in 1980's ? I'm sure I don't want it again.

[cfc83]

They are gambling unless you are guaranteed a new item each time you purchase a box. To pay money via a random process for something you already have should be considered a gamble.

[yomfweeee]

You are guaranteed something. It doesn't have to be a new item.

[cfc83]

It should be a new item.

[Ninjamonkey82]

Not gonna go on a console rant i own each off the platforms i play the games from the companys that are imo at fault, and i also spend way to much on loot boxes on steam cards packs in Fifa etc so i know its playing on chance and playing with real money. Two previous fifas i sunk over 500 pounds into each game trying to push my Fut team. This is bad enough in the hands of someone that can afford to do it. But come on putting this format in a kids room are a gambling addicts hands then saying its not a form of gambling give me a break. Minute you spend money on something that equates to chance even if you Don't get a real life money pay out its a gamble.

[nitus10]

The developers/publishers spin this as "Oh the games with gambling are rated adult only" or the PEGI rating for a game with gambling as an icon with two dice on it. As if most adults know this. Even then there is nothing to stop a child playing the game unless the parents are savvy enough (most aren't) to configure the child protection settings on the console.

[Mr-Dude]

MT don't belong in $60 singleplayer games and/or multiplayer games. I get that free to play games have them, but those games are FREE to play. People who support/defend MT or lootboxes in $60 games, are part of the problem and just as bad as the greedy people who put these shitty things in there games.

[Destiny1080]

in forza if you pay an extra 25 bucks you get double the xp of every one else

i don't know how anyone can support that

[Realms]

Why am I not surprised that MS supporters wrote this article a quick overview of MS history's rise to power should tell all you need to know about that company and greed.

[glenn1979]

Get the fook out of here

[opinionated]

Xbot site is the beacon of light in a sea full of ignorant sewer water lol.

[InTheZoneAC]

Paid loot boxes are gambling

[Gwiz]

@Cupid_Viper_3

Media in general are dangerous but these brand specific outlets are indeed very defensive towards its interests.
You can however easily detect their narrative and therefore protect your own

[gedden7]

ummm YES IT IS GAMBLING and should be illegal for minors.

[Gwiz]

This is why it is happening though not because of the right or wrong thing to do (morally speaking)
It's because they can.I'm just surprised about the lack of inquery from governments about this issue.

Only England seems to have some sort of concern while the rest are more worried about fictitious gender representation.*smh* Wake up you turds. (countries)

[nitus10]

Yes it is gambling and the game will normally have an adult rating but this alone will not stop a child from playing the game unless the parents or caregivers configure the console accordingly and most don't know how to do that although it is incredibly easy to do. Developers/publishers are well aware of this and don't care. Oh, they will mumble a few words like children should not gamble knowing full well they will.

[yomfweeee]

But.... it isn't gambling? Not hard to understand. Parents shouldn't give their kids the password to Live or PSN (or whatever) if they can't control themselves.

[Gwiz]

When you make a payment without being sure of the outcome it's a gamble,that's by itself no crime but the incentive to actually progress with said action does make it very addictive.Ask any gambling addict,it's not even about the money it's about that feeling of progress although you might have lost $1000 prior to that " winning ".
(that could be something silly as a $1 after a point of time,I know because I know a lot of people that have dealt with gamble addictions.

(You shouldn't let a car be able to drive beyond speed limits,that works out very well your analogy doesn't it?)
What do you have in place?laws that will penalize you for crossing that line ;)

[yomfweeee]

Buying baseball cards... not gambling.
Buying kinder surprise eggs... not gambling.
Buying Minecraft blind boxes (toy)... not gambling.
Buying Imaginext blind bags (toy)... not gambling.

Just because there is a "chance" doesn't mean it is gambling in the eyes of the law.

In all of these things (including loot boxes), you are guaranteed to get something. How you value what you get is arbitrary.

Real gambling there are no guarantees.

[DarkKaine]

They are fine to me as long as they don't introduce pay 2 win.
While a lot items are for cosmetic purposes only, many games still allow you to trade them, which in turn converts money into in-game currency.
Even path of exile, a game that had an april fools joke about p2w is in fact p2w. You buy stash tabs so you can store more items, these items can directly be listed on an auction site. You get 4 tabs to start with, but none of them are premium tabs so you can't use the in-game feature to list your items. The more tabs you have, the more items you can sell at any point in time because there is no limit to how many items you put up. Otherwise it's a good game I really enjoyed back in the day so I ended up supporting it anyway. But it's still unfair and I wish we were all on a level playing field

[nitus10]

Look no further than Star Wars Battlefront II. You can now get buffs and weapon upgrades in their loot boxes and if that is not "pay to win" I don't know what is.

[DarkKaine]

But but... you can also get these items if you play a lot! You don't have to pay to get these items if you simply resign from work and ditch your social life altogether to grind the game 24/7 :p

[DreadGara]

Can we at least win lottery's when scratching game codes?

[opinionated]

I wish you were guaranteed something in the lottery lol. I would play every time. What do you have to lose?

[sigrid]

Actually everything you get from gamble boxes has zero value. What is the value of the best item when you can't sell them for real cash because they are locked to an account on a server owned by someone else? What is the value when they shut off the servers?

[opinionated]

The value is what you bought it for... is the value of an nes classic 400 dollars? No, that’s just what people paid for them. You can sell your account. I don’t know why somebody would buy an account because of lootbox content but whatever. The value is nothing when the servers go down. I don’t see what any of this has to do with gambling though. What’s the value of lawbreakers when the servers go down?

[EatCrow]

Virtues are a good thing. MT's are not gambling. Loot boxes are gambling.
You are gambling away your money for the chance of something good. That chance being a big question mark.

Lootboxes have always been gambling. Even the ones for Overwatch and other less meaningful lootboxes.
Big problem here is when this same gambling is the form of a progression for a fully priced AAA game on consoles. It becomes pay to gamble to win. Which is worse then pay to win games because at least with those you know what you are getting.

[bluefox755]

Why are people defending this shit?

[sigrid]

Well if you look at the people defending it unsurprisingly they are almost entirely the pro Microsoft crowd.

This has become just another issue (politics) where people will do things that are against their own interest because it's what their "side" supports.

[Mr-Dude]

Also a lot of Playstation users. Especially the ones who play Skyrim and Fallout 4 (they like the disgusting creation club) In there words it's because of the shitty mods.. blablabla. They are part of the problem also. Go to skyrim or fallout reddit... You will see.

[yomfweeee]

I've said it before and I'll say it again. I've never once purchased a MT in my life. They have never been needed. So, if a company wants to add these extra things that morons will waste their money on... please do.

The $60 base price theory is true (your angry youtube video's dont mean anything). Inflation is a fact. The cost of development has gone up big time, but the base price of games haven't gone up for 2 generations because they are making money in other ways, including MT. If we take those other things away, we would be paying $70 or $80 for a lot of games as a default.

I'd rather pay $60. I don't need the garbage they sell for extra. I can control myself because I don't need to pay $1.99 for an alternate costume.

I am against Pay2Win, which Battlefront 2 seems to be potentially doing. But cosmetic crap or ways to pay for easy mode... I'm fine with.

[roadkillers]

Games need more of them so I know what shit not to buy

[Artemidorus]

Award for this dumbest article of 2017 at the N4G goes to this website.

I am sick to death with ill educated gamers saying it's "my money" the whole point is people are not buying it and were moaning/making a complaint.

Yes it is gambling if vulnerable people are involved without notice

Yes it is a devilish way of taking large sums of money from people (when they already paid a fee in the to first place) to progress slowly.

It's quite simple the dumb people can spend their money and mind their business while the intelligent people realise the truth not spend anything and make the company change due to hurting in sales.

[VersusDMC]

If loot boxes are gambling then trading card packs or anything you purchase with random items is gambling.

[opinionated]

GTFO! Random = Gambling! Polygon said so, it preys on retards. We must save the retards with government regulation.

[zb1ftw777]

Yes they are and yes they are.

Good. Day.

[melons]

Eugh. That image is horrendous. This has clearly been written especially to rustle some jimmies.

[Retard]

"See which way the wind is blowing?"

Didn't know fart clouds were legit.

[DJustinUNCHAIND]

Calling them slot machines is a false equivalency because there are no guarantees of any return on a slot machine, regardless of your bet amount.

A higher bet on a slot machine increases your winnings, should you happen to win.

All loot boxes(that I've seen anyway) have a guaranteed return.

[jznrpg]

Yes they are, but Xboxers are used to getting boned.

[Doabarrelroll]

This is why people the xbox communuty is looked at as a joke.

Instead of people encouraging gamers to speak out against something that is clearly having signs of being negative to gamers as a whole in the future, we have people turning this into a thing against MS or just brushing it off as nothing. Looking at you johns mister "gaming would be better off without sony" hypocrite.

I legit saw of guy on twitter complaing that the review bombing of Shadow of War was because its a MS promoted game. Then we got xbox sites like this trying to deflect it go figure

Like really guys this isnt a campaign against MS. ALL games lately have been called out for this practice not just Forza or Shadow of War.

[Nodoze]

I never thought I would see the day where this VILE practice of nickel and diming gamers would be defended. It has nothing to do with virtue signaling, it is a practice that needs to end.

If these games were all free to play, then maybe, but placing Loot Boxes (pay to win), DLC, and Microtransactions in games where we are paying full price for admission is just downright wrong on many levels. Raise the core price of the game if needed, but stop doing this. It will be the undoing of the entire industry.

You have progressed to the boss - insert money now to fight boss.
Your weapons are not damaging the enemy - insert money to sharpen sword now
Thanks for paying 60 bucks to enter our loot box casino - all progression now requires you to quit your day job, or insert money now

Enough already.

Also it does not help that the author needs to go back to grade school to learn how to write properly. Perhaps he should stop playing Xbox so much, and start studying Basic English 101. No loot boxes or DLC required.

[opinionated]

I never thought I would see the day where I would defend lootboxes. I hate the shit personally lol. I’m not defending the practice, I’m defending it against the idiots trying to say its gambling (under the law) and that it needs regulation. The fact is that it’s not and it doesn’t.

[rlow1]

First this isn't a Xbox issue alone, its a whole industry issue. To many people playing at a agenda. The heart of the issue is loot boxes and the like. Doesn't matter what system your on, their in there. So the question; is it gambling? To be honest this would take some deep studying on the issue of how the mechanics of the software handles the randomness of the loot. Like If the system in place is setup against the player, to favor the house. Questions like these can't be simply answered. I think that games have become more nickel and dime, but the big question is, does it force players into a arms race??? I think in some type of games that could be the case. Games were someone just pays to have an advantage over a opponent. This in turn forces the other person to pay up to compete. I believe their is a strong argument in those specific cases of the developer purposely setting it up to spur on the transactions.

[rulparra]

Incredible how are people who defends microtransaccions

[bigmalky]

Let's all try an experiment. Don;t buy any games with microtransactions, while letting the idiots that use the phrase 'You don;t have to use them' pay out of their arse for the things. See if EA, Microsoft and Warner Bros make more money from selling actual games, or a few games, subsidised by mt's.

When they come back complaining that they've had to close down another development studio because they only sold 2 million copies as opposed to 4 or 6, then we'll see how good the bloody things are.

[Eulderink]

I mean the guy is right in the article, but he doesn't see the bigger picture imo.
Micro-transactions in too many games can lead to it being the new norm.
Just like the guy in the article i wouldn't care for micro-transactions and similair stuff to advance further unless multiplayer. Eventually it will (in my mind) lead to games being harder just so u can buy items to enhance your abilities.
And so you will eventually need to buy these items. I mean the author is a bit naive imo in the matter of companies and their ethnics.
have you ever looked at packaging of fooditems??? they are taking advantage of your mind to make you buy the product, be it shiny packages, endorsements of famous people or just blatend deceptions. Companies will always try to maximaxe their profits and they will use every trick possible to make you buy their product.

I see these lootboxes as gambling though even though they're theoretically not.
It uses the same mechanics even though you still get a prize. i mean that's why slot machines are designed to give money after a few loses so you get the feelling you can win the big prize and to keep you playing ;)

But yea let them destroy this industry more i can't wait to see it all fall down, so it can rise from the ashes.

[Deviwolf]

Lootboxes are indeed Digitized gambling, plain and simple. Get over it.

[Tankbusta40]

What click hound made this article?

[LucidIllusion]

I can't support a corporate scheme for something that used to be free.

[Drakul]

For 60$ game, yes they absolutely are.

[Chocoburger]

xboxenthusiast.com posting this damage control trash makes sense, seeing as how Microsoft has been putting egregious microtransactions in nearly all their games since 2013. :|

[xxjabberxx]

I believe what is happening is that developers notice gamers weren’t buying their DLCs and MTs that they are now forcing you to progress / level up by forcing you to buy these loot blocks.

[About30Ninjas]

Nowadays gamers got 2 options is either grind your ass off or get milked like a cow

[Cy]

Exactly, but no one wants to think logically because they're too into "muh coorprute greeeeeeeed!" and pushing stupid narratives.

[zerocarnage]

The worst part about all this issue is the ones/small minority sitting there and trying to defend loot boxes/micros as if they're actually good for gamers as a whole, don't be so ridiculous and come back to earth with the rest of us.

Type up the word "gamble" and hey Preston this is what you get. Are you defenders going to keep sitting there and act that dumb that you can't even see the similarities of what is below and loot boxes??? You need your heads testing if you think there is no game of chance in loot boxes--->(1), with odds on certain items better than others. Not only that the whole purchase and every purchase of a loot box is taking a risk in the hope you get something desired back--->(2).

1.play games of chance for money; bet.
"he gambles on football"
synonyms: bet, wager, place a bet, lay a bet, stake money on something, back the horses, try one's luck on the horses; More
2.
take risky action in the hope of a desired result.
"he was gambling on the success of his satellite TV channel"

Casinos have games also that do just just hand over money but all sorts of prizes ie holidays, motorbikes, cruises, houses, dirt bikes and all the games differ and enticing to pull the masses in so people can't say no.

There are many ways and forms of gambling and its about time gamers stood United and took a stance on this, not this divided line. Say no to micros and loot boxes and if need be a strong message and even boycott the game entirely only then will publishers and developers will realise gamers won't stand for it.

Not everyone can say no remember that and I'm sure in each a nd everyone's life at some point there has been something they have been weak to, everyone goes through it and publishers/developers have found a weakness to exploit and are getting away with it.

To me it sounds like the person who wrote this article is somehow trying to find a defence for it all yet fails to understand the very problem itself and that is the exploitation of people and there well being. It is happening and if not careful, in gaming it could turn into an epidemic gambling if it isn't controlled or took away even people seeking out counciling for it as it is emptying people's pockets.

Just because one has a weakness against saying no doesn't mean it is rite or justified to take advantage of that person. It certainly does nothing but line the greedy pockets of those who are doing this while others are left to suffer, yet they know full well themselves the masses can't say no. Were like sheep in a field being herded by wolves and those wolves are hungry and they will take every last sheep from that field untill there is none left to do it too.

Most of us are in a zombie land who find it impossible to wake up from it, go around do there jobs, same routine, slave to society only to have everything hard earned ripped away in someway, by the very people who are above you who have set them selves up in a way that the majority below them can not say no.

There are many ways to say this what I'm saying but the reality is if you do not wake up and break this cycle of greed that is happening in gaming, you will all at some point turn away from it. because it has made you so unhappy that gaming is no longer fun because of all these shenanigans it is obviously going to take some of you a serious wake up call to what is in front of us and what will happen come next gen.

I see the path laid ahead and how much worse this gets for us gamers, I am ready to take that stance but are you?? We will see won't we if you are WAKE UP!!!!

[zerocarnage]

I will also say this as someone pointed out and its a very good thing to bring up thank you (ultranova)

Children play games is it really that UN noticed that the people who are throwing out loot boxes or micros,those blind people defending the loot boxes, can not see what I am about to say is that all this is setting up children and future adults to become gamblers themselves.

The addiction here is real, it's that real that as loot boxes are getting more aggressive so too are the players of all ages buying them, like I said in my other post it is a worldwide epidemic waiting to happen but my bet is, it's already happened.

If they are going to persist with all this, gamers should have the option when buying a game of clearly never seeing micros and loot boxes again, it's that little bit easier to say no if it isn't in there face on a side panel or as soon as they have no choice to scroll on by the items up for sale. Console devs should also take some responsibility here and put in an option in your account that can completely block the viewing of any micro Ts and loot boxes, as much as it's now in our faces across most games, gamers should certainly have the choice to limit and certainly censor these out. I certainly thing developers should be making options not just to hide these gambling shenanigans but once you first put a game on to have the option to completely block them out once and for all.

I bet something, that if those options were in our games a vast majority would have them off there game faster than anything.

Point blank children shouldn't even be seeing none of these loot boxes in any certified games and its a disgrace that our children are also being targeted because kids do not see the wrong in them but they certainly want them and that is a very big issue alone with the problems it can cause in a family.

I tell you it wouldn't be surprising to hear that gamblers anonymous, councillors and family therapists are dealing with cases and situations already to do with all this that has surged onto our games, the issue could be much worse than what a lot of us actually already think.

All this is a start to stopping it though, everybody's voice against it and everybody's actions to stopping it all is what counts.

[DarXyde]

depends on implementation.

Just don't lock away the "actual" ending behind them.

To this day, I "technically" haven't beaten Prince of Persia 2008. Enjoyed the game, but I'm totally not paying for what was a bleeding edge cash grab.

[Sokol]

Nice damage control article, no they are bad, for the consumer and the gaming industry.. And they are a very fine line between gambling and addiction issue that is being pushed by the publishers for the profit.

It will eventually kill gaming as we know it.

[Prince-Ali]

MTs objectively arent the devil of course not... it's ALL about how they're implemented by the developer based on their own vision or based on the demands of the publisher....

People who KEEP using the stupid and generic arguments of "it's just cosmetic" or "you dont HAVE to buy them!" dont seem to be smart enough to realise that this is rarely the case... Developers these days will balance the ENTIRE GAME around MTs in a warped version of the mobile market... Games like Shadow of war and Forza 7 have their loot boxes LITERALLYYYY affecting gameplay so the argument of cosmetic and that they aren't needed to be purchased is thrown out the window and stupid... Same thing goes with Battlefront 2 with no matter how much EA may try to deflect and deny it.. the game is essentially a pay to win scenario which is insane....

Once again... You can have devs that implement loot boxes and MTs in a non intrusive way which is fine Halo 6 in my opinion handles MTs very well.. they aren't intrusive and they are remarkably popular... in comparison to GTA Online that has you grinding for HOURSSSSSSSSSSSSS for a vehicle or something that they are CLEARLY overcharging for which completely turns the game into a chore to play.

In terms of gambling it simply is gambling... it's like playing the slot machines... the only difference with this is you do get something every time you open a loot box the gamble is you getting what you ACTUALLY want rather than getting something...

[DJ]

Even gambling is better. At least in gambling, there's a small chance of winning back money. Loot boxes/crates/whatever are worse in that you don't get anything back. Except of course content that's already in the game you paid for...

[agent4532]

This was written by a corporate slave to a tee. Many gamers have forgotten about free unlockables, map editors, mini games, LAN play, etc. I fully understand that the videogame industry is a business but is a creative business not an office or manufacturing business. Videogames are part of the entertainment industry. The purpose of gaming is to engage gamers into virtual worlds to escape from the harsh realities that people live in. A better way for the gaming industry to improve would be:

Cross Platform play
Return of LAN
Return of free unlockables, mini games, and map editors
Offer compelling DLC content
Buy pieces or textures for map editors

Lootboxes is a form of gambling in the sense that the gamer does not know what is inside the box. So they are gambling on the hope to get a cool item or trinket by spending real money using in game currency (10000 gold = $1.00 but the loot box cost 100,000 gold = $10.00 per loot box). The gamer is losing their money fast on useless items from loot boxes.

Microtransanctions in $60.00 games is pure greed and is making online gaming pay to win. What is the point of grinding online and getting better at the game when your competitor spends $20.00 on the best weapon along with $20.00 more to get lots of health and gold armor rendering your skills useless. Microtransanctions can pretty much sell the game in pieces. Want to know the ending of the game just pay $10.00 for it. .....

[antikbaka]

don't pretend like developers don't make you one way or another buy their DLC by by means of introducing "grinding" mechanics which have no gameplay meaning

[dunnyone]

Paying money to get something random in return, with no guarantee of value. Sounds exactly like gambling.

[lordcheese]

Its simple, if you dont like them, dont use them. They are only a problem if progression depends on them. In shadow of war (for example), ive played a tonne of it, and have never even been tempted as they just arent needed. Just ignore them. Its the same as people buying "costume DLC" like that horse crap back in Oblivion.

So long as games never make use of them as a "pay to win" mechanic, not one gamer can truly complain, as every cent you spend is entirely your choice and doesnt disadvantage you if you dont do it.