What? You lose money every time you buy a box but you never win any money :thinking:
The whole petition is written very badly. Especially this:
I dont understand it. Its so badly worded. China didn't apply gambling laws or regulation to loot boxes but created a new special law for online games.
Also writing China as china and UK as uk. Is it a petition to the government or a blog post?
You can't use real money to buy loot boxes Forza 7, at least not yet.
Nothing will come from this yet but if anything does the most extreme will most likely be slapping an 18 on it and requiring publishers to have a gambling license. Basically treating them as they would a bookmakers or casino. They would also probably have to prevent anyone from purchasing them under 18 but most people lie about their age on their gamer tags if they're under 18 anywaysI really hope they don't actually regulate them other than to require a notice they are present on the box (or digital equivalent) and the posting of the odds.
Anything else I would be against.
We cant let pesky things like facts and details get in the way!!!
How the government responds will be the ultimate loot box. Just remember that whatever it is, gamers asked for it.
Once we confirm that the game economy is balanced and fun for our players out in the wild, we plan to offer Tokens [a real-money currency that works like CR] as a matter of player choice. Some players appreciate using Tokens as a way of gaining immediate access to content that may take many hours to acquire in the normal course of play. There will also be an option within the in-game menu to turn off Tokens entirely.
An 18 rating is the kiss of death for a game. It should only be notification, nothing more.Nothing will come from this yet but if anything does the most extreme will most likely be slapping an 18 on it and requiring publishers to have a gambling license. Basically treating them as they would a bookmakers or casino. They would also probably have to prevent anyone from purchasing them under 18 but most people lie about their age on their gamer tags if they're under 18 anyways
They wouldn't flat out ban games or anything and there's already gambling games out there that's not banned so I wouldn't worry about that
Yet the highest selling games every year is an 18. Call of duty and GTA.An 18 rating is the kiss of death for a game. It should only be notification, nothing more.
We can't let pesky things like facts and details get in the way!!!
How the government responds will be the ultimate loot box. Just remember that whatever it is, gamers asked for it.
An 18 rating is the kiss of death for a game. It should only be notification, nothing more.
Not so much in the UK. It's not like AO in America or anything.
It has been stated multiple times in this thread that we dont want the government to regulate the gaming industry, we want the gaming regulators to regulate the industry.
PEGI and ESRB refused to do so on this issue, and this is the consequences of that. We did not ask for this.
I really hope they don't actually regulate them other than to require a notice they are present on the box (or digital equivalent) and the posting of the odds.
Anything else I would be against.
Will you be able to stop the government should it decide that action should go much further than your stated desire?
An 18 rating is the kiss of death for a game. It should only be notification, nothing more.
This sounds like something that will inevitably backfire.
I was just about to say that maybe the poster was american since most adults games get the M rating which is 17+. However 18+ is the dreaded AO rating. I can't recall any major game that got that at all.
Will you be able to stop the government should it decide that action should go much further than your stated desire?
Will you be able to stop the government should it decide that action should go much further than your stated desire?
Only in the same manner you're seeing so far. More communication and petitioning of MPs to try and reach another outcome.
Buying Pokemon cards will just be a casualty. Before they were a funn loophole not bothering too many people. Now loot boxes are too exploitative and need regulation, so card packs will have to be included.
LolI think that is a bit hyperbolic
and there is more on that list
This so much.Then the gaming industry can blame itself for not self regulating their abusive practices that target gambling addicts.
Seems like an incredibly risky bet to me. But I hope it works out as desired.
Box labeling makes a lot of sense for all parties, but it sure seems like this has the danger of going further than that.
If protection from loot boxes is deemed necessary, its not a huge leap for other things like violence to be deemed so, in which case you get laws like Germany and Australia.
Anyways, best of luck with the petition.
This rings so true it hurts.Then the gaming industry can blame itself for not self regulating their abusive practices that target gambling addicts.
The ๖ۜBronx;252063950 said:Second to top post there, to add some discussion point.
Lol
Yeah slapping an 18 on it wouldn't even change much. FIFA is probably the one that would be effected the most going from a 3 to an 18 but everyone will still buy that anyway.
The other thing to consider is that all games include an element of randomisation that impact your experience to some degree. Whether thats loot boxes or embedded in AI. This is where things get tricky, because whats the difference between handing over cash for in-game currency that can be used to access a random loot box, and handing over cash to buy DLC that involves random encounter generation, like a Horde-type game?
Where is that definite black and white boundary that regulation can control?
Speaking of the regulation, I presume that it would involve code being handed over for inspection to ensure no foul play - which sounds incredibly difficult and expensive.
The other thing to consider is that all games include an element of randomisation that impact your experience to some degree. Whether that's loot boxes or embedded in AI. This is where things get tricky, because what's the difference between handing over cash for in-game currency that can be used to access a random loot box, and handing over cash to buy DLC that involves random encounter generation, like a Horde-type game?
Where is that definite black and white boundary that regulation can control?
Speaking of the regulation, I presume that it would involve code being handed over for inspection to ensure no foul play - which sounds incredibly difficult and expensive.
Depends on the game. In Team Fortress 2 and Counter Strike you can get items worth hundreds of pounds out of the crates, so I can definitely see that as a motivation for people gambling for them.What? You lose money every time you buy a box but you never win any money :thinking:
I think the least that could be done is requiring odds to be told to people.
Loot Boxes in gaming are the definition of blind purchases. You have no idea what the odds are.
I can do what ifs too: Will you be able to stop publishers when whatever they come up with next makes Battlefront 2 look like horse armor in comparison?Will you be able to stop the government should it decide that action should go much further than your stated desire?
Fucking money? God people are so dense.The other thing to consider is that all games include an element of randomisation that impact your experience to some degree. Whether thats loot boxes or embedded in AI. This is where things get tricky, because whats the difference between handing over cash for in-game currency that can be used to access a random loot box, and handing over cash to buy DLC that involves random encounter generation, like a Horde-type game?
Where is that definite black and white boundary that regulation can control?
I'm not from the UK, but very happy the effort against loot boxes has gotten this far.
Fucking money? God people are so dense.
Can you use real money/fake money bought with real money to get more RNG rolls? There's your boundary.The other thing to consider is that all games include an element of randomisation that impact your experience to some degree. Whether thats loot boxes or embedded in AI. This is where things get tricky, because whats the difference between handing over cash for in-game currency that can be used to access a random loot box, and handing over cash to buy DLC that involves random encounter generation, like a Horde-type game?
Where is that definite black and white boundary that regulation can control?
Can you use real money/fake money bought with real money to get more RNG rolls? There's your boundary.
Can you use real money/fake money bought with real money to get more RNG rolls? There's your boundary.
Because with DLC, whatever random stuff that happens, that kind of randomness is part of the game's experience, the buyer gets the product he wants as a one time purchase of something he's sure to get.I could ask the same of you. I did mention the exchange of fucking money for both scenarios.
Im not arguing against regulation (although a government-led project doesnt exactly have me leaping for joy), Im just trying to understand where that clear cut, unambiguous line is.
In the UK we call them Walkers Crisps, and we are happy to eat the entire packet because it's healthier for you than eating a whole pack of Libertarian Doritos.Inviting the government to regulate loot boxes sets a dangerous precedent. If it's OK to legislate that facet of gaming, what's next? You may not like where it ends up. Government regulations are like Lays potato chips, you can't stop at just one.
Something does need to be done about lootboxes but I don't think they need regulated as gambling. For example how are Overwatch loot boxes any different to buying a pack of pokemon cards? It's a product I'm buying and I know that I'll get x amount of cards and what the chances are of a rare/common/holo card are. It's just luck what specific cards you get. That isn't gambling like putting money into a slot machine in the hope you'll get money back.
Any developer selling loot boxes need to give more clarity on the chances of getting specific items. I thought Blizzard had to do this in china? I'm up for that being applied to all studios in every country.