EA: They’re not loot boxes, they’re “surprise mechanics,” and they’re “quite ethical”

Kerry Hopkins, EA’s VP of legal and government affairs, insists that the company’s randomised purchases aren’t loot boxes, but rather “surprise mechanics.”

[Jin_Sakai]

This company is the worst!

[-Foxtrot]

Like I honestly thought this was a joke article...is she f****** high because I want some of that shit

[Nitrowolf2]

“Instead we think it’s like many other products that people enjoy in a healthy way, and like the element of surprise.”

Imagine being the person that said this. “Haha jokes on you, I was only pretending to be.....”

This is literally an excuse you can use on anything. In what way though is it healthy to get people hooked on a system of randomized chance?

If they’re going to make claims that it’s healthy at least back it up with proof. There’s plenty enough evidence out there though to show people can get addicted to the point it can be harmful

[Old McGroin]

@ Foxtrot

Same here, saw it earlier on reddit and thought it was an Onion article! The lads over at EA really shouldn't get high on their own supply as often as they seem to.

[harmny]

So you are asking for drugs on a public forum

[-Foxtrot]

LOL

Are you serious?

[Muzikguy]

@harmny

Yes 🤦🏼‍♂️😒

[rainslacker]

EA was going to go a month without causing controversy, but then they got high?

[UltraNova]

Damn, the mental gymnastics EA's legal team goes through is nothing short of "Breathtaking!!".

EA can go F*** themselves for all I care.

[Army_of_Darkness]

@harmny "So you are asking for drugs on a public forum"

Are... You.... Really... Serious right now?? Omg, lmfao! That is what you got out of all these sarcastic, jokey comments??

[SyntheticForm]

They're clearly frustrated though, and it's a great thing to see. Their recent games haven't been received well, and EA are being relentlessly trashed. They 'are' feeling the heat and this frustrated statement proves it.

This Jedi Order game is one more to avoid.

[Zenbaby369]

@Butt No such thing as bad publicity? I really don't think that applies here. Sure, if EA was a company no one knew about, bad publicity might be good to put them in the spotlight. I mean, look at MJ...bad publicity exists man.

[JackBNimble]

Are you going to stop supporting this shit or just get mad and continue to buy EA games?

[remixx116]

@Butt

I laugh at people who believe that statement if yours.

Go tell MS that back in 2013 during the Xbox one reveal and let's see the response you get.

[0hMyGandhi]

I'm just surprised that EA hasn't yet released their own brand of "gaming cigarettes".

[Leeroyw]

The. Worst. How does she say that with a straight face?
"oh it's not rape.... It's a... 'cuddle struggle'.
Just the worst.

Edit: just saw strayanalog's comment. Snap.

[SierraGuy]

When other developers are starting to offer free DLC these clowns are defending their stupid gouging practices.

[Muzikguy]

I can't believe this was said by EA. Wow

[rainslacker]

I can't imagine it being said by anyone else. At least seriously and with a straight face.

[rainslacker]

They're not the worst. They're the best at being terrible.

[Crazyglues]

They really are a Surprise Mechanic.... "Surprise MotherFu*___, you just got robbed..." ...LMAO..

I'm sorry the Internet got me messed up --> https://www.youtube.com/wat...

[sander9702]

It's not even a gaming company anymore it's just a place for shareholders to make money.

[Tear111]

They are switching the name but same but same structure...

They changed BF private game into Rent service
And now they want to do the same from changing the lootbox name into Suprise mechanics

Will EA if you brought a water and change it name into (Soul regeneration) it still the same water no matter what name yiu choose to name it.

Loot box or suprise or what ever the thing you do is killing the industry not the name 😒

[strayanalog]

By that reasoning, rape is surprise sex.

[RpgSama]

Sir or Miss, you win the internet for the Day!!!

LOL!!!!

Wow, I thought it was a joke article, but they are very much serious, wow

[SkatterBrain]

LOL that ish made me Laugh soo Hard

[Germaximus]

Yikes. Well put.

[harmny]

yes. because rape victims have the abilty to choose when to get raped

[crazyCoconuts]

Won't somebody PLEASE think of the children?

[Steveoreno1]

I'm getting a lot of laughs from your comments. Keep up the good work.

[harmny]

thanks

[Muzikguy]

Yup! EA are so delusional. I can't believe they don't see it

[Benjaminkno]

I literally put an analogy like that in my head, and I was thinking “no, that type of comparison wouldn’t go over well here” and then I see you don’t have one dislike..

Ah, what the hell, I’ll do it..
😬

[strayanalog]

Well I thank you for putting things back on an even keel, Benjaminkno. In that way, you truly are the duck tape of this site: you have a light side, a dark side, and manage to hold it all together.

Hopefully it doesn't throw everything off, but your comment deserves a like.

[AmUnRa]

I spilled my coffee al over the table...This is so true😂

[FBNS]

I've been saying this all over YouTube 🤣

[Atanasrikard]

Really? Comparing an optional item that you choose to participate in... to rape? Your reasoning is horribly flawed and it is really sad that you have so many agreeing with you.

[spicelicka]

It's not a comparison though. It's just an exaggerated mockery of the flawed reasoning, like when you say "if so and so jumps off a bridge you would do it too?". I mean that's death, it's not any less serious than rape.

[Atanasrikard]

@spicelicka

It is a direct comparison. If this means this, then this means this. If, then is a comparative statement. Where do you get death from jumping off a bridge? That statement is about someone's ability to think for themselves. Either way, you are comparing the same thing, death, in your scenario. So and so's death and your death. If you want to do it right, if so and so jumps from the last step of the staircase, you would stick a gun in your mouth and pull the trigger.

This is my problem, he is conflating something he doesn't like as akin to a horrible crime being committed against another person. It's flawed reasoning. It is Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez levels of stupid.

[DaDrunkenJester]

If you're seriously comparing lootboxes to rape then you have some issues.

[StoneyYoshi]

@ DaDrunkenJester
You are taking his comment way too literally. His point was comparing the fact that renaming something thats bad to sound good doesn't make it any better....

Lootboxes are a cancer to the gaming industry. I personally believe that these kinds of practices should only be allowed in F2P games since thats basically the only way those games can make money.

[Ricegum]

Trust DrunkenJester to take it literally.

[Bleucrunch]

there always has to be one of "those" types and here were are not dissapointed @DaDrunkenJester is that type. You know full well what was meant by that comment but you just had to be the one to go there...

[Kran]

Kind... of?

I mean you don't press a button and get surprise rape sex like you do to press a button and get random loot boxes. You can choose to buy one.

I'm not condoning EA in any way and what she says in the article is bull. But I'm just saying about your comment...

[Kran]

@Tiqila

It's not that I understand it, it's just that it's an over exaggeration.

[EliteComments123]

LMFAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

[criticalkare]

Hahaha oh wow typical EA

[Relientk77]

EA is as stupid as ever.

[robtion]

Seriously though, it's not an invasion, it's a 'pre-emptive counter attack'. ;)

[lodossrage]

And there will still be people both defending and buying from this company.....

[harmny]

well if people stop buying from EA thousands of developers will be fired and then it will be even worse.

[StormLegend]

I would gladly sacrifice those developers to make EA, EA again!! I miss the 90's

[RizBiz]

Who will then go on to open new studios and create games that are actually worth our time. Sounds like a win-win scenario.

[jznrpg]

They keep firing devs anyway because people aren’t buying enough of their games besides their sports stuff. They can work at other companies or open new studios and use the lessons of working at a place like EA to be successful

[Eulderink]

lel, if they do that it has nothing to do with lootboxes, but more about EA being EA.
gaming did fine before and they will do fine regardless. This is just like an atm that gives u free money.
it's sucks when it's gone but you didn't need it anyway.

[trooper_]

Well maybe this would be a wakeup call for them.

Stop treating people like idiots.

[Antifan]

I seriously think this should happen. Break up this terrible company, and the Star Wars license will be released to other studios. This is the best thing that can happen with EA.

[lodossrage]

that's a ridiculous way to looking at things. "Let's keep supporting the predatory company because people will lose their jobs otherwise".

Dude, no. Then they look for other positions at other companies. And not for nothing, but I'm pretty sure they know what EA is all about when they go apply for positions there. So unless their studios have been acquired, they don't get to use that defense. And even then, start applying other places.

[RizBiz]

jukins5h ago
Eh plenty of parents buying their kids surprise eggs surprise lol doll containers, and the thebkid Ryan from youtibe has surprise toys all just like loot boxes no one batting an eye over those

Found one!

[StrengthInNumbers]

'surprise mechanics' that happen to cost money. What a surprise. lol

[harmny]

yes. its the same thing with a baby

[DaDrunkenJester]

Lootboxes don't always cost money, and the ones you can buy are typically optional

[XiNatsuDragnel]

Well by that logic : rape is ok, stealing is ok, and gambling is not gambling lol

[DaDrunkenJester]

You're retarded if you're comparing lootboxes to rape and theft.

[XiNatsuDragnel]

No the comment was talking about the lady saying lootboxes was like surprise mechanic like kinder eggs I was comparing her logic to rape isn't rape it's surprise sex. Get it?

[milohighclub]

...

[ziggurcat]

https://media1.giphy.com/me...

[PhantomS42]

I legit laughed out loud at that.

[Blu3_Berry]

It's literally a gambling mechanic and majority of gamers do not want that crap in our games.

[RabbitFly]

Unless you can earn money by "winning" then, no it is not literally gambling. It lacks the defining feature to be considered gambling.

If we want to combat loot boxes then we at least have to be honest. EA is using the same rhetoric here that trading card games have used for a while. And when loot boxes becomes illegal, so should they. Because at least they are much closer to be considered gambling.

[lodossrage]

@Rabbitfly,

that's an incomplete definition of gambling. Yes, playing games for the chance of winning money IS a definition for gambling. However, gambling is also classified as taking a risk in hope of getting a result one is looking for. So loot boxes still classify as gambling

[RabbitFly]

Nope. There is no risk of loss in a loot box. You always get something.

[lodossrage]

@Rabbitfly,

You need to understand the secondary definition of what gambling is. Gambling is classified as taking a risk in hopes of getting a RESULT the person is looking for.

The person getting something doesn't mean the player(s) are getting what they are looking for. Go look at your dictionary and see for yourself what the meanings of gambling are for yourself .

There IS a risk, you risk not getting what you want in said loot box.

[DaDrunkenJester]

@Lod

Yeah and you "risk" dying on the freeway every day driving to work. Is driving gambling with your life?

There is no risk in lootboxes, even if you don't get the specific thing you want, you're still recieving something. Now, if there is an option of not recieving anything than yes I'd agree with you.

[lodossrage]

@DaDrunkenJester

I say the same thing I said to RabbitFly to you, Go look at a dictionary. But you know what, never mind. Since nobody here can take the time out to do that, I'll put the definition here for you all.

This is for people that don't know the definition of what gamble is:
https://www.google.com/sear...

Now as already stated, there IS a risk. Just because you get "something" doesn't mean there is no risk if that something isn't the ITEM YOU WORK LOOKING FOR. So in order to get what you WERE LOOKING FOR, you have to constantly take a GAMBLE by paying constantly in HOPES that you get the DESIRED item.

Why people are acting like it's a hard concept to understand here is beyond me. And the fact that people are trying to argue the fact when dictionaries, encyclopedias, and thesauruses are readily available to everyone is outlandish.

[Atanasrikard]

Iodossrage is actually correct. Technically, so is dadrunkenjester though Iodoss

[RabbitFly]

@lodossrage

you are trying to redefine the word risk. And you are playing extremely loose with both the literal and the figurative definition of the word gambling.

Even if you don't receive what you want, that does not mean you are at risk of loosing out. It's like you want the figuratively and the literal use of the word gambling at the same time. It doesn't work like that.

Literally the word gambling is about the risk of loosing something of value on the chance of gaining something of value.

Loot boxes doesn't really offer anything of value at all. You buy a virtual item, and it has a random chance to be one of many items. But you are never at risk of loosing your investment. Therefore it is not gambling in the literal sense.

Just to repeat. If we want to have a serious discussion about what we as a society accept in video games. It does by no mean help the conversation to throw hyperbolic half truths around.

Loot boxes are not gambling per it's literal definition. I am not even sure you could say it is by the figuratively use of the word gambling. But it does probably engage similar parts of our brain. And we are probably better off in a world where virtual purchases are not based on random chance.

And if we want to pretend that Loot boxes are gambling then Trading Card Games, which are widely accepted as something that can be marketed towards kids definitely is. Because while trading card games, just like loot boxes, does not carry any risk of loosing your investment, the potential monetary gain is a real world consequence.

[Lon3wolf]

"It's not a banana it's a small, off-duty Czechoslovakian traffic warden"

[badboyz09]

F**k EA! And any Moron that supports them!

[Rachel_Alucard]

I tbought this was a 4gamer article until I saw the missing satire tag

[1-pwnsause-1]

Why do people keep buying games from EA?

[Germaximus]

lol It's so sad how delusional EA is. What makes it worse is they'll probably win with such a stupid argument.

Nobody ever bought a box of cereal and then kept paying more money to get more "surprises." Frakkin jackasses.

[DaDrunkenJester]

Recently people were buying up a ton of happy meals to collect all the Avengers toys McDonalds was giving out. They had to limit it to 2 happy meals per order

[Germaximus]

ugh You got me. I forgot about that crap. I guess in the end none of it matters. This life is stupid.

[DaDrunkenJester]

Yep, unfortunately there isn't much we can do about it. Just don't buy them yourself is the best you can do. Hopefully they will one day be less predatory.

I generally don't mind them if 1) you cant buy them with real money. 2) they don't contain things that will provide you an edge. If it's just cosmetic I'm usually okay.

Unfortunately these are the concessions I have to make in my own head.

[Atanasrikard]

Did you ever purchase a pack of baseball cards? How about Magic cards? Pokémon cards? Yu-gi-oh? People do that shit all the time. I don't recall ever seeing people complain about that shit.

[SyntheticForm]

Fuck these people.

[FullmetalRoyale]

Surprise!!

[JCOLE13195]

Why do they think we’re so stupid every time they spew this crap? This is the dumbest thing I’ve ever read. EA is the absolute worst.

[rainslacker]

I can really see they're listening to the feedback from the gamers.

[Atanasrikard]

I think the majority of gamers don't care. If they don't want them, they don't buy them. You know, the whole optional thing. I have never purchased a loot box from a game unless I was enjoying the game and wanted to support the developers in creating more content for that game. Or just support the devs in general.

[rainslacker]

I agree. Most certainly won't voice any discontent. That's true with most things nowadays really. Most of the complaining we hear about, even in our community, is the minority who actually voice an opinion. There are probably those who don't say anything that have problems with what's going on.

Anyhow, despite that, the negativity that they've received over it, coupled with mainstream attention due to politicians getting their words in, is having an effect on them. When some games which should sell like crazy come in well under expectations, there is a problem that needs to be dealt with. So, even if most don't care, others are being influenced.

I've never brought any MT, ever. I have purchased the occasional DLC when it adds actual gaming content to games I really like. I can count the number of times I've done that on one hand though.

[jukins]

Eh plenty of parents buying their kids surprise eggs surprise lol doll containers, and the thebkid Ryan from youtibe has surprise toys all just like loot boxes no one batting an eye over those

[Rachel_Alucard]

Keyword missing from EA's surprise mechanic is toy

[jukins]

Ok so surprise mechanic toys and suprise mechanic games BIGGG difference lol

[Rachel_Alucard]

Yes it is a big difference. You don't get to own a tangible physical product with EA's version.

[Zenbaby369]

Yeah, let's compare this to pokemon cards now too.

[Imalwaysright]

Wich you can trade and even sell. They have real world value. Can't say the same with digital content.

[Atanasrikard]

Yes, let's... because it is the same thing.

@Imalwaysright

as I recall people used to sell their World of Warcraft accounts for hundreds/thousands of dollars. So I guess you aren't always right.

[Imalwaysright]

Used to huh? Not anymore? I wonder why... meanwhile the most expensive pokemon card goes for $90,000

[Atanasrikard]

@Imalwaysright

I don't play World of Warcraft anymore and therefore don't follow it anymore so I couldn't tell whether it was still happening or not but that is beside the point. You made the claim that digital content has no real world value. Your claim was refuted... doesn't matter if they didn't maintain their value, you were wrong..

[Zenbaby369]

I mean, it kind of is the same thing. Maybe collectible anything shouldn't be directed towards children. Putting pressure on a parent to essentially gamble for the happiness of their child.

On a side note, I might be wrong but. Can you even buy most of this stuff outside of a loot box or pack? I mean, can someone sell the in game item to me? Because I feel like that isn't the case in a lot of games. I might be out of touch though because I don't really play games with loot boxes, or at least I never purchase them. Maybe these games need to be forced to let players trade and sell to eachother.

[Imalwaysright]

If they don't have any value today then today I am not wrong when I say that they have any value.

[rainslacker]

My various cousins kids were/are into those things, and last christmas they got lots of them. They weren't opening them being disappointed with what was in them, they were excited that they got stuff in them. They could use the stuff in them, and they weren't looking at it from the perspective of trying to get specific things. More so, one got something they already had, and instead of complaining about it, she just gave it to the other cousin's kid, and they just traded around. Then of course, they all went into the pile where they all just play with all the stuff.

When it comes to a game, you're more likely to be trying to get specific things, for the characters you like to play, that enhance what you like to do in the game.

Take character outfits in Dead or Alive. If no one plays half the characters, are they going to want to pay to get a new outfit for their least favorite character? Are they going to pay to have a chance at getting the same thing they already got? Are the percentages set in such a way so some things are less likely to be gotten? So on and so forth. Some will of course, which is why loot boxes make money, but the practice is just silly considering that they could just sell the stuff people want, and still make money.

[Rachel_Alucard]

They started doing direct buys with many items, however instead of letting you buy whatever, whenever you have to wait for them to show up in a small daily item rotation or battlepass. I think those are worse then lootboxes just because of the time urgency, and it keeps the rng aspect of loot boxes without actually hiding the content.

[KwietStorm_BLM]

I can barely even conjure up a laugh at this. It's like trying your hardest for years, trying to beat it into someone's head that what they did was wrong, but all they consistently do is the same thing and pile some excuses on top of it. Surprise mechanics..lmao

[DemoIishor]

EA does a better job of making EA look bad than anyone else.

[thepatientgamer]

Whoop! There it is!

[pietro1212]

So EA is still the worst..probably never going to change

[BrianOBlivion]

That made me actually lol.
Jesus H. Cripes what a bunch of complete dirtbags. That's exactly the kind of douchebaggery that only reinforces a hatred of laywers and ceos. Lying comes so easily when you're sick with greed.

[Outlawzz]

Feel bad for the new star wars game because I'm sure the developers are working hard on it and it will most definitely receive the short end of the straw because of EA's stamp.

[P_Bomb]

A VP of legal said that? LOL! I’m stealing it! The possibilities are endless...

[lellkay]

I'm not even surprised. Pathetic EA.

[AnubisG]

No way dude, no way🤣🤣🤣

[Christopher]

A rose by any other name would smell just as sweet.

They can call it whatever they want, it's still the same thing being discussed.

And, I got a huge laugh at anyone calling this ethical. You're randomizing potential rewards in order to obtain more money for those rewards. You're creating a system where someone can spend $10 and get the exact same as someone who spent $100. That isn't ethical, and neither is lying about it being ethical.

[DaDrunkenJester]

Spending $100 is statistically impossibly too get the exact same as someone who spent $10.

[Christopher]

It's about value, and the loot boxes are based on that.

Common items are of no value. Uncommon items are of no value. Rare items are of value.

A person can spend $10 and get one or more rare items. A person can spend $100 and get just one rare item.

The only item of value there is the one item.

[DaDrunkenJester]

Well in the beginning of games common and uncommon have their value. What if you're leveled up enough where you need legendary instead of rare? And what if you get a rare you already have? Value depends on the person.

But that's not my point. Most lootboxes have tiers and if you're buying a $100 lootbox they usually offer a guaranteed high tier item. Even if you're buying 10 $10 lootboxes there no way that the person spending $100 is going to get less.

[Godmars290]

By the logic being applied you're either talking about something with additional value, the chocolate shell of a Kinder egg, or a "surprise" within a specific range while being self contained, a toy pet, where the formally named loot box is only the only thing bought and could be a wide range of things.

And really, its that kind of thinking that caused lawyers to be the first to be lined up in TNG Star Trek.

[jbull]

We can all call EA terrible things on here but it wont make a difference if the sheep keep buying games and all the micro transactions that go with it. We need to put pressure on Disney regarding the star wars license, get an online campaign going to make consumers more aware of their dodgy practices, hitting them in the pocket is the only way they will listen.

[lodossrage]

I agree with you jbull.

But people need to stop being so stupid and take responsibility for themselves for once. Stop being slaves to entertainment (in this case gaming) and putting up with being fleeced. You have grown adults (even on this site) sitting here, making excuses and trying to defend EA's predatory ways.

[Ratchet75]

E. A 's lawyer :
"Your honor these are not loot boxes,
these are randomized crates" 😉

[Sidewinder-]

Now that's some quality cringe.

[Profchaos]

Hahaha what i thought this was an onion piece

[frayed]

I don't think this is comparable to the old breakfast cereal/ happy meal/ kinder egg 'surprise' toys. They were always kind of 'extra', and they were almost always very limited - there were only like 4-5 variants to get.

The issue with the way these randomized loot crates work is that there's actually only a very, very tiny amount of cosmetics or upgrades people want and they have to sift through literally hundreds or even thousands of variants to get them. At that point, you're paying to 'gamble' on your chance of 'winning' the thing you want.

However, EA is far from the only company doing this and, as far as I can see, they're just the ones getting the most attention - rightly, it seems, as their worst offenses were pretty brazen.

But let's face it, trading cards and other such things have been doing this for years and years and years. It's a way to make money by hooking people on a system of spending to get very little for a lot. In what way is it not gambling?

And it is kinda crappy for game design. It means that companies are encouraged to make lots and lots of mediocre stuff to pad out the gambling odds. Very few cosmetics are the ones most people want and, if you the system was that you just buy the thing you want at a standardized low price, then they wouldn't make a fraction of it.

The only good thing that microtransactions allow is the longevity of support without costly expansion packs - it keeps online game communities together better. But surely it's better for quality to just make a few small, but desirable things for people to buy, that really add to their enjoyment. Any other system based on randomized purchases and in-game currency seems to inherently exploit gamers to get them grinding away at a crate system, rather than paying money for things that improve their experience of the game. People probably spend more time opening loot boxes than they do playing the game,

[Chriswynnetbh]

I don't see how this applies to TCGs. With a loot box, you are taking a risk that the money you spend goes to some digital item that might have value within the game but has no value in the real world. Cards in TCGs have direct monetary value associated with them because they will only print a certain number of physical cards per set which makes them worth something within that TCG's economy. Even if you get something you weren't looking for, you could still sell/trade what you got to get the card you really need. Not to mention that the value of the card is dictated by how many of them are printed whereas digital items are infinite and the odds are arbitrarily set to make it so the people trying to get it have to spend more money.

[frayed]

Fair point actually. Have to confess never been much of a trading card person, so wasn't really thinking about it that way. I think, with this whole loot crate thing, it's just taking a familiar system, that can work, and then twisting it into something that's familiar enough to seem fair, but, as you say, in reality is operating on a totally different economy.

[Chriswynnetbh]

I mean these guys are idiots if they think that calling them "surprise mechanics" makes a difference. A loot box is a loot box. It's a randomized piece of digital content put behind a paywall with arbitrary odds. It plays off of the exact same chemical reaction as gambling does and it's just shady. What blows my mind is that people actually buy this shit. I'll gladly invest into a tcg where I know I'll break even if I ever have to sell my cards. But you get literally nothing in return from loot boxes. It is simply, pay 99 cents, have an endorphin rush. The gamble is really just how big that endorphin rush is.

[Yobo5]

and they’re “quite ethical”

Why does that remind me of something...... https://thumbs.gfycat.com/B...

[Chexs1990]

Calling it now: 'Surprise mechanics' are gonna be one of the new Buzzwords alongside Recurrent user spending and User engagement.

[Thundercat77]

If gamers does not stand against companies like these, The gaming industry would be raped and destroyed. Just like the USA did before.

[Ryzza5]

I will admit that I never considered that comparison to the Kinder Surprise eggs before.

However when playing a playing a video game like Rocket League, if I want a certain animated paint job we've gone from the scenario a decade ago where I could just purchase it, to now having to spend possibly 50x as much on what I perceive to be junk that I will never use until I get what I want.

Plus the 'surprise mechanisms' have often been stylized (sounds + animations) to remind users of slot machines (you know, gambling hardware).

For Rocket League I initially purchased all DLC from the developers because I enjoyed the game, but refused to ever purchase crate keys. Fortunately, sites like LOLGA exist where I can purchase exactly the items I want as a one-off transaction.

[Xaevi]

Ok I believe you

[SkatterBrain]

these tactics are used to put the thing you want at a lower percentage of appearing so you spend more , why not just put a dollar value for every item , make the boring thing $0.25-$0.75 and the good things like $3.00-$5.00 better than spending hundreds trying to get the 5 dollar thing,

this is basically like Gambling and why i dont trust electronic gambling, the chances of winning are really up to the House, but people think its the machines that really decide

The little Kids dont really know that itll take $600 to get those purple pants for yoda, In there head they believe in 2 or 3 rolls they might get what they want , the system knows how to play a sucker , if they see you buying more and more theyll throw you a decent item when you stop spending to try to reel you back in

[CrimsonIdol]

"“We do agree with the ...Australian gambling commission ...that they aren’t gambling" To start this blatant bullshit there is no one national "Australian gambling commission" but if anyone want's to read what a recent national gambling committee report into "Gaming micro-transactions for chance-based items" thinks about it:

"many loot boxes meet the five established psychological criteria for gambling, and as such, players may be at risk of developing gambling-related harms."

The whole thing is hardly flattering, points out that it is indeed a lot like poker machines and gambling and the only 2 arguments they put forward for not banning it is that people will avoid the ban with VPNs and that the gaming industry makes a lot of money from this.

https://www.aph.gov.au/Parl...

[CrimsonIdol]

Very deceptive

[rainslacker]

Nice write up.

And I'm impressed they think people would go through so much effort to buy these things by using VPN's, when most of these games are service based MP games, which don't always function well through VPN, or over distances involved in intercontinental servers, oh, and it's not like a huge number of people are well versed in such things to begin with. The only way they'd maybe be tempted to is if EA kept marketing them to those people as available, and that kind of marketing tends to be frowned on in a big way, and is considered predatory in almost every single country up to speed with modern society as unacceptable.

It's especially rediculous to think people would go through so much effort, because the publisher knows that more people would buy the easily accessible products in their own markets if made available, and if they can't be in loot boxes, that means just paying for what they want....hence, making it completely stupid for someone to go for random chance. It's like saying someone would go hit the black jack table at an Indian Casino in the next state, when someone is willing to offer then a hundred bucks at the gas station down the road, if they just can give them a $10 spot. EA isn't going to just do away with all MT in places that loot boxes are not allowed. No way in hell. They're more likely to not release the game, or make it so they have a consistent MT structure globally which doesn't involve them.

[GameBoyColor]

It's not torrenting, it's surprise acquisition EA.

[Tross]

And you would be the authority on what constitutes ethical practices, right EA? /s

[rainslacker]

Maybe not them...but their lawyers do.:)

[AK91]

.............................. .....

[TheUpbringer]

You gotta think at some point, one of the PR guys would go "Maybe we should stop talking for a while."

[bamillington]

I don't buy there games simples

[KillBill]

Right... and all the slot machines in Vegas are just Surprise Mechanics Machines.

[Knightofelemia]

I hope Disney is keeping a close eye on EA and how this game will preform. The best laugh will be when Disney yanks the license from EA and gives it to somebody better.

[RizBiz]

It's like if Hitler had called the gas chambers "Happy Surprise Boxes."

[Gatsu]

LOL!

[jznrpg]

They think people are stupid. I actually had some interest in this game but saying stupid shit like this can kill a game real quick

[Platformgamer]

well, SURPRISE! i'm not buying an EA game in years, you moron

[xXSNOOOPXx]

Its not a Gun, its a surprise mechanic..

[Manubiggs]

Well, give me more damn surprises for my money

[Juusterey]

Oh well
i trust ea
not like they ever stared me wrong in the past
mostly because i'm not stupid enough to buy anything they put out until it's dirt cheap

[Futureshark]

Goodbye EA, your days are seriously numbered.
Not going to buy next Star Wars game, hopefully Disney will take back the license and give it to someone better.
Fingers crossed that low sales of that one finally teach you not to treat your customers like idiots.

[Indigon]

My suprise mechanic is to not buy these games.

[DarkKaine]

"it's not a 60$ game, it's available for free on the pirate bay. Hey why is nobody seeding this?"

[Dragonscale]

She should've been thrown out of court for contempt lol.

[zodiac909]

After boasting about "No loot boxes" in their new game, they publish something like this???? EA & Activision really need to die.

[quent]

Surprise!!!, that'll be tree fitty

[StarkR3ality]

Sounds like a rapist trying to justify what they've done.

"Oh it wasn't rape, it was just surprise sex!"

Retards.

[trooper_]

That’s a really stupid comment.

[pixlz]

Sounds even more like gambling...

[CrimsonWing69]

If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck it’s an ethical surprise mechanic!

[Tyrant 8 RDFL]

Wow talk about insulting our intelligence with this bullshit explanation. No I didn't murder this person I just retired their body. Please release me now. EA truly is a piece of shit company.

[Shikoku]

Surprises aren't something you pay for. So now lets change the wording so we can still try and skirt the law and changes peoples mind.

[william_cade]

Scumbags

[BlackDoomAx]

Please people. Stop giving them money. There are other games, other companies. Wait till they understand and stop all these harmful methods that plagues the gaming industry.

[Juusterey]

Maybe someday people will
instead of buying 10 games and wondering why they all suck

[MasterCornholio]

You know what's a surprise mechanic?

A man in a trenchcoat. You never know if he will try to sell you a watch or have a nasty surprise for you.

https://static.tvtropes.org...

[Gwiz]

You're threatening me?

[MasterCornholio]

You do not want to face the wrath of my bunghole!!!!!!!!

[Eulderink]

damn they have some good lawyers and the point of it being a suprise mechanic is a solid one.

But saying it is ethical is pure garbage. Nothing is ethical in trying to get people to spend more than needed for a randomized chance of getting something they want. Prime example is a casino.
But tbh atleast the casino is also taking some risks, cause when a costumer is lucky they need to pay the money you won.

Lootboxes, hachimals, all card collecting packs got almost zero risk and only rewards.
(only risk is it not being a cool game, so nobody wants that shit. With games though you can go f2p so people pick it up regardless and get them hooked)
How is that ethical ???

they prey on us falling into the trap of trying it out, and getting addicted to it.
cause you really want that f*cking shiny card/skin/mount/toy/animation/ money.

[lnfiniteLoop]

more like "no surprise mechanics.”

[milohighclub]

Remember when these guys were voted worst company in America... the warning signs were there people. Learn from this and boycott any company trying to replicate them. I'm looking at you Bethesda.

[Orionsangel]

Yeah sure and ZombiUnicorn isn't showing her breast for tips either.

[Vithar]

Wow this company

[blanka4545]

we will see but the game looks pretty good

[Bleucrunch]

They really need to cut this out and refrain from insulting our intelligence....EA is not helping themselves at all here....Good Grief!!

[Tankbusta40]

EA paid a lot of people some good money to come up with that slogan!

[Gwiz]

" quite ethical " I'm dead.

[TheEroica]

Star wars is mostly great... Except when the letters EA are found anywhere near the packaging.

[UnholyLight]

Yeah keep telling yourself what you need to hear in order to justify gouging your customers EA. Pfft.

[spambot0815]

their pr statements are actually more entertaining than their games. :-)

[Rambokind]

Can people please STOP buying games from this awful company? Just stop.

[Killa78]

Not satire!?

[carcarias]

Like Kinder Eggs? Thing is, you still get chocolate when you buy one of those. Where's the 'chocolate' when you buy a loot box and get nothing useful?

[WickedLester]

LOL!

"It's not kidnapping. It's expedited adoption."
"It's not rape. It's a struggle snuggle."

[ReVibe]

Bitch when I want a Kinderegg, I'll go buy a motherfucking Kinderegg.

[slayernz]

Least if I buy a kinder surprise I get to keep it for ever.... fifa I've spent hundreds on packs previously and when September rolls around it's all gone

[nommers]

“And they’re filed with candy!”

[OC_MurphysLaw]

Surprise.... they're loot boxes!. hahahaha..... you gotta love the audacity of EA.