This is kind of bull because i am quite certain this was ALWAYS the case.So i assume that somehow loot boxes were considered non gambling items but anyone with even half a brain knows that when you do NOT know the outcome it is a form of gambling.
What this will do is VERY little because foolish spending just targets the idiots,those that would spend enough to turn that 1% into a probable 100% chance.Now if we start seeing .02% then yeah people will think twice ,so what will likely happen is the % will edge just slightly closer towards the consumer but still leaving room for the dev to make way more than the item is worth.
I use simple math,if a AAA game is worth say $80 how much is 1/5000 items worth?MOST games are not AAA,so how much is a AA game worth...$30-50?Now how much is 1/5000 items worth?
Well using a real lame attempt at ripping the idiots off,Trion was selling $100 loot boxes.More than an entire game is worth.You know that Trion wouldn't even attempt such a ridiculous price unless they figured there were idiots that would spend that much and imo there are likely tons of people who would spend that much.Geesh i have seen some likely drunkn dumbass give a twitch streamer 2-10 thousand dollars.SO yeah there are people who will still allow these scummy loot box ideas to flourish as much as ever.
Never forget 3 mile Island and never trust a government official or company spokesman.
Oh look the industry is going to police itself again... yeah, that will work well.
I'd rather they try and regulate it themselves. Anytime the government puts regulations on things, companies find a work around that turns out to be much worse.
The people can regulate it just fine if they would quit spending money on stupid shit.
Tbh I think this is the biggest problem. A ton of people will still buy games even if they have sleezy monetization just because they can ignore it. That is a huge problem because they still are supporting the game's business practices by buying the game at all even if they are not buying them. A good example is the newer Assassin's Creed games. You buy the game, but ignore the exp booster. Sure, you don't spend money, but you are still accepting the idea that the game they created is based around balance of them designing it to lure people into spending money. This essentially normalizes game balance and QOL problems that the developer has created to sell the solution. Most people should think about that next time they are buying a game despite it having greedy monetization tactics.
Now if they also spend a bit more of the money they are recieving with tax evasion and fraud on their games, maybe the quality would be a bit better to.
EDIT: ok, apparently Nintendo does pay their taxes mostly. Sony and Microsoft are still mostly getting tax refunds though seeing as alot of their tax adresses apparently are single appartments in EU countries.. because... yeah... surely they use those -_-
We need the gambling that has overtaken gaming to be removed, ESA (from that statement) does not seem as yet to regard loot boxes and such as gambling. If you are going to require them to do what casinos do and release odds, then clearly this is gambling.
When you have the biggest names in the gaming industry supporting gambling in games, what does that say about the industry?
You can disclose the odds, but gambling is still gambling.
True.
But if players know there is only a 1% chance of getting the item they are aiming for, they might think twice.
Well this is where you are completely wrong, for example in startrek online people knew the chance of getting ships is at 0.2% to 0.4% people still open boxes hoping to get "lucky". You really underestimate the power of addiction. Btw there are people on reddit who collect data on loot boxes to get the percentage, so people already knew the percentage chance.
Wish so much there were no lootboxes in my games that I paid full price for but that horse has bolted from the stables a long while ago so I will just have to be happy with whatever crumb legislation or regulation they cobble together to gloss over the complaints.
Its hard not to smile while reading this. They know their gig is nearlly up, and this is their attempt at a thinly veiled regulation to make it appear like they care and are doing something.
Gov's around the world are putting gambling in games on the table and a world of hurt is coming their way, and rightly so.
WOW, I mean WOW, really, what good is revealing the odds on these lootboxes, when a Dev/GM can be told to adjust them in peak times of critical sales, after all, since they have instant access, its nothing to streamline a quick patch during play to make the adjustments.
Take a look at lotteries they post the odds of winning major prizes, but, the corporations who run those lotteries will sometimes Fix the outcomes of the top prizes just to keep sales coming in.
You can disclose the odds, but gambling is still gambling.
Yes its 100% true but I do think some may stop if they see that mount they want has a 0.00023% drop rate.
I don't think it'll stop that many. Those who most care about the odds are likely already doing their best to avoid gambling items.
But it's still important because: -It prevents the devs from automatically adjusting the odds so that you'd buy more -It prevents the devs from stealth-nerfing the odds of popular items -It allows people to compare between different games
I applaud the initiative, but it won't matter. The odds of winning the Florida lottery are one in 22,957,480, yet people play it every day. I will go in to buy gas and someone in line will be buying lotto tickets by the fistfull as soon as they get their paycheck.
EQ1, EQ2, SWG, SWTOR, GW, GW2 CoH, CoV, FFXI, WoW, CO, War,TSW and a slew of free trials and beta tests
This just legitimises the loot box, now even more companies will do it without batting an eyelid. Since these companies are not really running gambling joints the law should set a minimum value to the percentage and chance to win. Afterall they are selling games not lottery tickets.
How the hell has this become okay to have in our games? We are no longer trying to get rid of it but trying to regulate it it seems.... oh how far the mighty have fallen.
Twist - disclose the odds, but keep the actual odds completely different.
Once masses complain - blame RNG.
Profit.
I think you worked on the gaming industry, is that right?
If yes, do you think deep down in the code some engineer could set the odds to be different by order of the management?
I think they will do that as its nearly impossible for anyone to find out as they will not disclose game source code as its industry secret or whatever.
Wasn't there an article or two about how EA, & I'm sure others, was working with some coding dealing with more personalizing 'surprise mechanics' within the game based upon how a player, customer, utilized loot boxes. If I remember correctly there had even been a filing for a patent for it. Of course they said it wasn't going to be based upon monetization after it got leaked.
Twist - disclose the odds, but keep the actual odds completely different.
Once masses complain - blame RNG.
Profit.
I think you worked on the gaming industry, is that right?
If yes, do you think deep down in the code some engineer could set the odds to be different by order of the management?
I think they will do that as its nearly impossible for anyone to find out as they will not disclose game source code as its industry secret or whatever.
Wasn't there an article or two about how EA, & I'm sure others, was working with some coding dealing with more personalizing 'surprise mechanics' within the game based upon how a player, customer, utilized loot boxes. If I remember correctly there had even been a filing for a patent for it. Of course they said it wasn't going to be based upon monetization after it got leaked.
Yeah. There have been lots of articles recently about that and things like manipulating matchmaking with randoms to let you see the cool stuff they have and you don't.
Not sure how widespread that is in PC or console gaming but like always, mobile is probably way ahead of the game at finding devious ways to get at your wallet.
"Social media gives legions of idiots the right to speak when they once only spoke at a bar after a glass of wine, without harming the community ... but now they have the same right to speak as a Nobel Prize winner. It's the invasion of the idiots”
― Umberto Eco
“Microtransactions? In a single player role-playing game? Are you nuts?” ― CD PROJEKT RED
Oh look the industry is going to police itself again... yeah, that will work well.
I'd rather they try and regulate it themselves. Anytime the government puts regulations on things, companies find a work around that turns out to be much worse.
The people can regulate it just fine if they would quit spending money on stupid shit.
Stop buying games with MTX.
This, I don't understand why there is any regulation even being discussed. Disclosing odds doesn't really change anything... it's like at Vegas, where you "know" what the odds are on that digital slots machine... but they only hit just often enough to keep you thinking that the next pull is going to pay out (or when the gaming commissioner is on the floor).
Obviously someone likes them, they are selling so much it's shifting the entire industry around. If people didn't like them, they wouldn't buy them, and the industry would pivot to something else that makes money.
If you don't want kids to buy them, don't link your CC to their account and don't allow them to make the purchase - that's on the parent, not the distributor of the game.
Just because I personally don't like it doesn't mean I get to steer the ship - I just choose not to support with my money.
For the people that can't help themselves - they need to recognize they have a problem before anything can help them, I'm afraid.
The problem is that most people don't know how odds work escpeially depending on how odds are listed: ( ie. 1:2 vs 50%) People think that if I have 1:2 odds if I buy 2 I get it but in reality the odds never change. you could buy a hundred and still never get the items.
It doesn't matter what the odds are, games that have them should be clearly labelled as what they are so that they can be kept out of the hands of children, and people who do have addictive tendencies can at least be aware of what they are getting involved with.
Twist - disclose the odds, but keep the actual odds completely different.
Once masses complain - blame RNG.
Profit.
Didn't this happen before? I don't remember who did it, either Blizzard or Ubisoft (or someone else?) got caught decreasing the drop rates. I think it was Blizzard but i could be wrong.
If you don't want kids to buy them, don't link your CC to their account and don't allow them to make the purchase - that's on the parent, not the distributor of the game.
You can buy game cards at the corner store/candy shop. You don't need a CC, you can get around your parents. What will the games industry do to combat this?
Comments
What this will do is VERY little because foolish spending just targets the idiots,those that would spend enough to turn that 1% into a probable 100% chance.Now if we start seeing .02% then yeah people will think twice ,so what will likely happen is the % will edge just slightly closer towards the consumer but still leaving room for the dev to make way more than the item is worth.
I use simple math,if a AAA game is worth say $80 how much is 1/5000 items worth?MOST games are not AAA,so how much is a AA game worth...$30-50?Now how much is 1/5000 items worth?
Well using a real lame attempt at ripping the idiots off,Trion was selling $100 loot boxes.More than an entire game is worth.You know that Trion wouldn't even attempt such a ridiculous price unless they figured there were idiots that would spend that much and imo there are likely tons of people who would spend that much.Geesh i have seen some likely drunkn dumbass give a twitch streamer 2-10 thousand dollars.SO yeah there are people who will still allow these scummy loot box ideas to flourish as much as ever.
Never forget 3 mile Island and never trust a government official or company spokesman.
I'd rather they try and regulate it themselves. Anytime the government puts regulations on things, companies find a work around that turns out to be much worse.
The people can regulate it just fine if they would quit spending money on stupid shit.
Stop buying games with MTX.
https://ashesofcreation.com/r/Y4U3PQCASUPJ5SED
When you have the biggest names in the gaming industry supporting gambling in games, what does that say about the industry?
Well this is where you are completely wrong, for example in startrek online people knew the chance of getting ships is at 0.2% to 0.4% people still open boxes hoping to get "lucky". You really underestimate the power of addiction. Btw there are people on reddit who collect data on loot boxes to get the percentage, so people already knew the percentage chance.
Gov's around the world are putting gambling in games on the table and a world of hurt is coming their way, and rightly so.
Take a look at lotteries they post the odds of winning major prizes, but, the corporations who run those lotteries will sometimes Fix the outcomes of the top prizes just to keep sales coming in.
Yes its 100% true but I do think some may stop if they see that mount they want has a 0.00023% drop rate.
But it's still important because:
-It prevents the devs from automatically adjusting the odds so that you'd buy more
-It prevents the devs from stealth-nerfing the odds of popular items
-It allows people to compare between different games
EQ1, EQ2, SWG, SWTOR, GW, GW2 CoH, CoV, FFXI, WoW, CO, War,TSW and a slew of free trials and beta tests
How the hell has this become okay to have in our games? We are no longer trying to get rid of it but trying to regulate it it seems.... oh how far the mighty have fallen.
Not sure how widespread that is in PC or console gaming but like always, mobile is probably way ahead of the game at finding devious ways to get at your wallet.
“Microtransactions? In a single player role-playing game? Are you nuts?”
― CD PROJEKT RED
Obviously someone likes them, they are selling so much it's shifting the entire industry around. If people didn't like them, they wouldn't buy them, and the industry would pivot to something else that makes money.
If you don't want kids to buy them, don't link your CC to their account and don't allow them to make the purchase - that's on the parent, not the distributor of the game.
Just because I personally don't like it doesn't mean I get to steer the ship - I just choose not to support with my money.
For the people that can't help themselves - they need to recognize they have a problem before anything can help them, I'm afraid.
"Be water my friend" - Bruce Lee