In Wake of Lootbox Outcry, ESRB Moves to Label Games With In-Game Purchases

[Raevenlord]

As lootboxes have increasingly fallen on the radar of gamers looking for complete experiences that they don't need to invest a kidney to unlock the full content that's being "offered", the ESRB has moved to include a label on all future game releases that features in-game purchases of any kind. The new label will sit next to the age rating, but separate from the other content warning labels - such as graphical violence, nudity, and others. Its aim? To keep users "well-informed" on the content purchases that are included with the full game. Strangely, the label will not discriminate different types of content - so a game that has a dreaded lootbox system such as Star Wars: Battlefront II, or a well-implemented, non-obtrusive one such as Gwent, will see exactly the same label. As the ESRB puts it, any in-game transaction may live inside this label, such as "bonus levels, skins, surprise items (such as item packs, loot boxes, mystery awards), music, virtual coins and other forms of in-game currency, subscriptions, season passes and upgrades (e.g., to disable ads)". Talk about an informed customer decision.





A new website, dubbed ParentalTools.org, is being launched by ESRB, which aims to educate users (be it gamers or parents) on the ratings system in more detail, whilst also giving parents information on how to set up parental controls on popular gaming devices. This is because, as ESRB President Patricia Vance told Ars Technica, "a large majority of parents don't know what a loot box is". Instead, "parents need simple information (...) We can't overwhelm them with a lot of detail. We need to be clear, concise, and make it easy for them. We have not found that parents are differentiating between a lot of these different mechanics." Vance also noted that the ESRB's research found nine out of ten parents required children to have permission before making any in-game purchase, suggesting that a general warning would help "the vast majority of parents out there."

Pouring some more gasoline to the fire, ESRB's Patricia Vance said that "We think [loot boxes are] a fun way to acquire virtual items for use within the game, to personalize your experience," she said. While "obviously there's an element of surprise in loot boxes, just like with baseball trading cards." And well, that doesn't solve anything.



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[erocker]

Which, unfortunately will be most games. Also, ESRB ratings have done such a fine job in informing parents and children of what games not to play, this next initiative is sure to be a huge success!


/sarcasm.

 

[lilhasselhoffer]

I call shenanigans, and look forward to government regulation leaving a boot print on the ESRB. All of this being caused by EA, how sweet the poetic justice.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4118270.stm - BBC article
http://trace.tennessee.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2955&context=utk_gradthes - Trace Tennessee study on how parents understand ratings


Despite the ESRB claiming 85% of parents understand the system, the above demonstrates most have no real underlying understanding. A game garnering a T for violence is preferable to a game garnering an M for sexual content, when the health classes these children have been through are more graphic. Despite this disconnect, the ESRB blindly moves on toward the demise their industry richly deserves (government oversight). Hopefully when they finally have enough outrage the "M" for microtransactions is as hated as the "M" for mature. Lord knows loot boxes deserve an M, and not some boilerplate warning.

Thanks EA, for making greed an abhorent topic faster than anybody else. Maybe if you'd kept the temperature down a bit more, you'd have boiled the frog rather than have it hop out of the pot. Also, kudos to Hawaii. The representative there is 40% nerd, 40% politician, and 20% troll. Absolutely perfectly balanced to protect people, slide references into the discussion, but still nail slimy groups to the wall. I wish my state had that kind of chutzpah.

 

[FreedomEclipse]

The ESA rep couldn't answer any questions regarding loot crates and does not see them as gambling. He probably had no idea how he even ended up at the conference/meeting

 

[FordGT90Concept]

So in other words, ESRB is complying with the voluntary order (under threat of legal ramifications) to add loot boxes to their labels. Thing is, I think "In-game purcahses" should be illegal. All purchases should be made through the store. There should be no links in game to the store. The most they should be able to do is say there's content updates and new content available in the store but the user has to actively seek out that content to get it. ESRB can't outright ban something, Congress has to.

Further, I think games with loot boxes (that are purchased via store as per the above post) should be prohibited to players under the age of 18 (consistent with most states gambling laws). In other words, ESRB should immediately give any game with loot boxes a "Gambling" description which results in an "Adults Only" rating (locked up at retailers and requires ID declaring your age to purchase). This will strongly discourages the inclusion of loot boxes in games targetted at teens without banning them.

 

[jigar2speed]

Whats the use of this label. Make in game purchase games strictly 18 years or above, this will make the game makers atleast think twice if they would like to leave the young audience behind.

 

[RCoon]

Let's put a label on games that identifies whether a game has DLC/Lootboxes/Microtransactions/Cosmetics/Expansions available to be bought in-game. That's some quality differentiation there.

So every game in existence will have the same label on, ensuring it gets ignored by all parties.

A Label.
On a physical product.
I'm sorry... how many physical games do people buy that have lootboxes in them? Oh that's right, they're all downloaded digitally so this label achieves nothing.

 

[FordGT90Concept]

Last I saw statistics, the bulk of console games were still sold through retail stores.

 

[Vayra86]

LOL. This will have an adverse effect: Microtransactions will be seen as the new normal because it has a sticker on every box. The ESRB is just making it worse, which was to be expected because its just self regulation from the publishers.

Let there be no mistake on who the ESA really is

"The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) is the U.S. association dedicated to serving the business and public affairs needs of companies that publish computer and video games for video game consoles, handheld devices, personal computers and the Internet. "

 

[AsRock]

On their boxes ?, most games are purchased online so what frigging box ?, i hope company's like steam \ MS have to put a frigging large ass label in plain sight.

And OMG i bet a lot of parent's don't even know what to look for or even if they are suppossed to be looking for some thing.