Gaming News - We Didn't Actually Think It Would happen But Belgium Are The First To Fall...
Hello Fellow Steemian Gamers,
I hope you liked my meme earlier and in good fashion I'd like to keep the EA news flowing. I can't seem to find anything online anymore other than news about EA so while it's hot off the press I'm going to keep posting about it.
At this point what are your thoughts on lootboxes being gambling?
News...
So today is the day it finally happened Belgium are the first to rule against lootboxes at this point I am unsure if they will be banned or if age restrictions will apply as gambling is acceptable over a certain age.
Belgium’s decision to have loot boxes in video games considered gambling could have major ramifications on not just Star Wars Battlefront 2, but the industry as a whole. It will effectively restrict publishers’ ability to sell games with loot boxes in the country, and if Belgium gets its way, the entirety of Europe.
The Belgian government has said that "loot boxes and gambling in gaming can have a serious effect on a child's mental health"
Are Belgium going to pave the way for the rest of Europe?
Is this a good thing for gaming?
Let me know your thoughts on this whole situation I'd love to get a real discussion going around this topic.
Thank you all for your support and I hope my posts continue to satisfy all your gaming needs :)
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I'm quite vocally against lootboxes (when done badly/with greed) however this news does give me cause for concern. This move can open Pandoras box that has the potential to disrupt the entire gaming industry.
To expand on my unease at this news:
My assumption (from experience in the gaming industry) is that as games become more and more expensive to make, the publishers actually noticed that they can only charge users so much before sales get hurt. The idea of lootboxes and micro-transactions would have been added to cover the costs of development and fund continued development. So when it comes to this, I actually think it's not a bad idea to have lootboxes BUT they then need to be implemented correctly and not in a cash-grab manner. What I mean by that is by offering skins, items that affect the aesthetics of your weapon/hero/units (and so on). Putting these items behind a paywall is totally fine as they do not change how you play, but at the same time offer gamers a quick and easy way to show support to the developers.
Impacts on other gaming sectors:
This is what seems unfair to me. Belgian has taken the first steps, but it's done by people that I would guess have no idea what the gaming industry looks like right now - as it totally disregards the manner in which the lootbox were implemented and the genre/market model of the game that it is in. Lootboxes implemented with good and bad practices would be affected in the same way, and it seems to ignore the fact that some games are different - what would happen to hero collecting games like South Parks Phone Destroyer, Dragonball Dokkan Battle, Star Wars Galaxy of Heroes? Technically they work only because of the 'summons' that are lootboxes.
Summary and looking to the future:
Part of me is glad that action is being taken. The free2play scene and some - not all - of the AAA scene have taken things too far and need controlling. The other part of me is worried, certain sectors of the gaming industry will suffer far more and the causes of this problem (EA) will probably suffer the least.
Then you have to look to the future. With lootboxes potentially out, what will replace it? If nothing, will the prices of the games explode upwards of 100euros? Or if something replaces them, it potentially can be far worse; loopholes always exist and greed is a powerful motivator.
I think this statement from the Beglian government won't really make much impression. I live in Belgium myself and I think our part in the gaming world is to small to actually end such a big income for this AAA gaming studios in the US and other big countries.
I had the same thoughts to be honest and I think you are right. I'm in the UK and I'm sure they will make money from it somehow.
IMO, this needs to be certified as gambling by ESRB. That will be a huge revolutionary change in the way developers controlled by EA and other AAA companies promote their game, in terms of their in game purchases. It will be a big deterrence for games, especially games that are suited for all age groups that include younger children
I agree in some cases I think they should remove them and let it be a grind to get them it makes it more fun.