Thursday, November 16th 2017
Overwatch, Star Wars Battlefront II Loot Crates Under Gambling Scrutiny
According to Belgium's VTM Nieuws, the Chancellor Commission from that country has opened an investigation into both Overwatch and Star Wars Battlefront II loot crates, so as to rule whether or not these constitute gambling. Loot boxes being compared to gambling isn't a new debate, but up until now, a clear ruling that characterizes loot crates as such still hasn't made its way onto the courts or commissions that have been looking into these issues. That loot crates and other microtransactions are resounding successes in ever increasing monetization of game experiences is no secret: Digital River has released a report that stated microtransactions and the whole "Games as a Service" model has tripled the industry's value.
EA has been receiving a lot of flak for the way they implemented their loot boxing mechanics in Star Wars Battlefront II, which has led to repeated cycles of posturing, bullying, and ultimately some small steps backward for the company, regarding its initial stance on Battlefront II's specific implementation. Already has the company decreased costs for unlocking characters in-game, though some are reporting that for players to unlock everything the $60 game supposedly offers, they'd have to play it for at least 4,528 hours - or pony-up $2,100 to unlock all the base content.
When it comes to loot crates and their introduction to the game market, however, the way of unlocking this content is put in an even more suspect lighting. These are, after all, virtual boxes that users buy without knowing what's in the box at the moment of purchase. I can tell you that under Portuguese law as it is written, these loot boxes Are gambling, since the expected return from a player's economic investment into buying one of these can be lower, the same, or exceedingly higher than the spent money - this means there is not only a factor of luck or misfortune, but also hope for an absolutely disproportionate return.
Peter Naessens, Chancellor for the Belgian committee, says this element of uncertainty and randomness, where users are expecting certain loot items, but want certain things but do not know what they're buying, they are actually gambling. "It is thus dependent on coincidence how well you can play the game. And in that case it falls under gambling," said the director of the Chancellor's Committee to VTM NIEUWS. But EA's Star Wars Battlefront isn't the only game that the Commission is setting its sight on: Blizzard's Overwatch also has similar mechanics, though these are arguably less intrusive (and definitely lower profile) than the Battlefront debate.
EA, for their part, had this enlightening bit to say: "Creating a fair and fun game experience is of critical importance to EA. The crate mechanics of Star Wars Battlefront II are not gambling. A player's ability to succeed in the game is not dependent on purchasing crates. Players can also earn crates through playing the game and not spending any money at all. Once obtained, players are always guaranteed to receive content that can be used in game." So there's... that.
Sources:
VTM Nieuws, via FunkyKit
EA has been receiving a lot of flak for the way they implemented their loot boxing mechanics in Star Wars Battlefront II, which has led to repeated cycles of posturing, bullying, and ultimately some small steps backward for the company, regarding its initial stance on Battlefront II's specific implementation. Already has the company decreased costs for unlocking characters in-game, though some are reporting that for players to unlock everything the $60 game supposedly offers, they'd have to play it for at least 4,528 hours - or pony-up $2,100 to unlock all the base content.
47 Comments on Overwatch, Star Wars Battlefront II Loot Crates Under Gambling Scrutiny
EA could fix this by simply saying you can buy Loot Crate A which has item A, B & C. Specify the contents to remove uncertainty of outcome.
Come to think of it - I actually also bought 20 loot boxes for Overwatch at some point a few months ago. Just because I could, there was no rationale behind it, didn't even need or want any specific thing they give.
Shit.I think this specific case, other than the impulse buying of pre-orders and DLCs or normal 'store content' in games, is not one of gamers being stupid. Its just a clever system that takes advantage of people, and most of us are vulnerable.
This has been a running casino for years now! with out-of-game gamble sites! hello?!?!
These "micro-transactions" are not bounded by simple Economics like other products where companies price their products because there is limited supply to make them. To make it simple, micro-transaction for these companies are like "money-bearing trees" where they can make money out of nothing once R&D had been paid for. This should really be regulated.
Battlefield however has mechanic altering cards and items tied to those Boxes. BIG differences. Its no longer pay-to-win but now watered down to such a point where its pay-to-have-a-better-chance-of-getting-ahead.
This is worse than Vegas.
If responsible adults choose to opt in, fine. But a Star Wars franchised game is by definition largely marketed at children.
the chance (and it was a small one) of getting good equipment went up much higher with each level box. The levels each required an astronomical level of equipment to get enough ammo and weapon upgrades ro keep playing the muktiplayer. If you were lucky enough to mostly pair up with the same team like I did, you could score enough points to guarrantee at least a silver box.
The problem was, these boxes could also be bought, allowing a vastly increased level of success for someone who showed up to play the multiplayer with fully upgraded powers or weapons, tons of special ammo, etc. They paid to win, and because the odds of getting good ewuipment were so small, they were enticed into spending ALOT of money, especially IIRC, the prices ranged from 3.99 to 6.99.
So there ya have a good example of how this shit works.
I'll just add to this instead of posting again:
Well in case it wasn't obvious. It was in fun. One needs to play Overwatch and hear or unlock that Torb voice line through a loot box to even get it.
I would only listen to a developer or some creative part of the team. The rest of the gaming industry seems to be just marketing grads, who find ways to turn our entertainment into their personal ATM machines (I'm not harping merely about money here.. Success is good obviously).
Only there was little reason to make use of it. It was fun enough, but it was a blip on the map of multiplayer games.. and PVE anyways. edit: Sorry about the double posts. I'll try not to do it again.
1. lootboxes (whatever they put in them.)
2. Building a game where progression is based on the content of said lootbox.
My opion is:
'1' can and SHOULD exist but should be regulated so accordingly. I work at a bank (technical support), and the amount of kids able not control this is supprising. Basically these games are stresstesting ALL kids playing them to see whether or not they have a problem with gambling; if they have, you can bet your a** that it will become apparent! So the question is; should we try and help these kids from not ending up a ludomania?
'2' is another story (eventhough it has all parts of 1 included.) The problem I see is that the MAIN goal of SWBF2 is to win, and to win is to... progress and to progress is to pay (at least more than it is to play) Other games have this element, but they are; free to play games. When you release Starwars AAA game to consoles under the biggest engine franchies (BF spin-off). You are making a game that every kid in the world would wanna own! Alot of these kids does not have unregulated time to game (maybe they can game 2 hour a day if lucky) you can start to calculate how unrealistic the playtime for say the heros are. These kids are tempted to spend their hard earned money or their parents money on; progression in a game. THAT is wrong! And that should NEVER be allow or accepted in gaming. The problem is that EA KNOW that people will by this game; it is not like a random free to play indiegame with a playerbase of 50.000 players; this is the "christmas game" the "i NEED THIS GAME" to kids.
In other words; they are looking into all gambling related games (as they have gambling elements), but SWBF2 is the game that have taken this to the consolegaming (a demography that vastly consist of kids.) )
what i see bad is that you have to pay with real money instead of receiving it for free (when reaching a level) or using achievements points f.ex.