If there is one thing that has been beaten over the head of games it has been the loot box. From trading card games to FPS they are everywhere. You can't seem to buy a AAA title without being cut off from some content without having to shell over more money but it's exacerbated when you can't even pick your prize. In essence, we are paying to gain access to pay more for an uncertain result.
In Overwatch, you only had to worry about extra content but if you are playing games like Clash Royale you know that you are either going to put in a large amount of time or you will be paying a pretty penny to be competitive. This is even more prevalent in EA's game model where there are loot boxes everywhere. You can now build stronger teams in Madden 2018 and get really strong advantages in the new Star Wars Battlefront. It is hard to say there is a fine line between acceptable and not but you would have to ignore what is at its basis. Gambling.
There are some instances where loot boxes make some sense. Going back to Clash Royale there needs to be some monetary gain in order to maintain the game. These games need some income flow in order to keep the server up so it makes sense that they use them. On the other hand, a game that escaped loot boxes for the longest time was League of Legends. It is free to play and while you can gain heroes through playtime it would be ridiculous to think you could unlock all of the heroes that way. They added the option to buy in-game currency and then you can pick your champions. This model did work and it has been a successful game.
Where the whole system really breaks down is a play to win environment. Those with money are able to get more while those who only have time must grind away to even compete. If you have played Clash Royale you have at one point played against someone with a much more advance deck. There is nothing you can do to win. This in my opinion really cheapens the game but seeing as it is free to play I guess I can't be too upset. What is annoying is that EA has decided to put this in the new Star Wars Battlefield 2 as covered by Total Biscuit.
This is all leaving aside the fact that this is gambling. When you are spending money on something that does not have a definitive outcome you are gambling on it. The worst part is this is being exposed to a younger audience here and they have even less knowledge and self control with these games. This has not gone unnoticed as China is cracking down and demanding games give the odds of the loots crates.(www.kotaku.com)
Dr Luke Clark at the Center for Gambling Research at the University of British Columbia has said: "We know that the dopamine system, which is targeted by drugs of abuse, is also very interested in unpredictable rewards." (www.pcgamer.com) These loot crates are reproducing the same psychological effects as gambling because it is exactly what you are doing. There is a reason you have to be a certain age to gamble but for some reason, because these are a digital item they are not being counted. Just because you are getting an in-game item doesn't mean that you are getting the best or most desired one, which in essence is hitting a jackpot.
Loot boxes are a part of the video game industry at the moment. While I see their use for free to play games I don't necessarily believe it's the only way to gain income for a game. It does seem we have reached a tipping point. It is being overdone and it's affecting the actual games themselves. Not only that but it's hard to argue that these systems are not gambling. What happens next is beyond my view as a consumer. It will be interesting to see where the industry takes this or if our government gets involved but that would require them to do something.
In Overwatch, you only had to worry about extra content but if you are playing games like Clash Royale you know that you are either going to put in a large amount of time or you will be paying a pretty penny to be competitive. This is even more prevalent in EA's game model where there are loot boxes everywhere. You can now build stronger teams in Madden 2018 and get really strong advantages in the new Star Wars Battlefront. It is hard to say there is a fine line between acceptable and not but you would have to ignore what is at its basis. Gambling.
There are some instances where loot boxes make some sense. Going back to Clash Royale there needs to be some monetary gain in order to maintain the game. These games need some income flow in order to keep the server up so it makes sense that they use them. On the other hand, a game that escaped loot boxes for the longest time was League of Legends. It is free to play and while you can gain heroes through playtime it would be ridiculous to think you could unlock all of the heroes that way. They added the option to buy in-game currency and then you can pick your champions. This model did work and it has been a successful game.
Where the whole system really breaks down is a play to win environment. Those with money are able to get more while those who only have time must grind away to even compete. If you have played Clash Royale you have at one point played against someone with a much more advance deck. There is nothing you can do to win. This in my opinion really cheapens the game but seeing as it is free to play I guess I can't be too upset. What is annoying is that EA has decided to put this in the new Star Wars Battlefield 2 as covered by Total Biscuit.
This is all leaving aside the fact that this is gambling. When you are spending money on something that does not have a definitive outcome you are gambling on it. The worst part is this is being exposed to a younger audience here and they have even less knowledge and self control with these games. This has not gone unnoticed as China is cracking down and demanding games give the odds of the loots crates.(www.kotaku.com)
Dr Luke Clark at the Center for Gambling Research at the University of British Columbia has said: "We know that the dopamine system, which is targeted by drugs of abuse, is also very interested in unpredictable rewards." (www.pcgamer.com) These loot crates are reproducing the same psychological effects as gambling because it is exactly what you are doing. There is a reason you have to be a certain age to gamble but for some reason, because these are a digital item they are not being counted. Just because you are getting an in-game item doesn't mean that you are getting the best or most desired one, which in essence is hitting a jackpot.
Loot boxes are a part of the video game industry at the moment. While I see their use for free to play games I don't necessarily believe it's the only way to gain income for a game. It does seem we have reached a tipping point. It is being overdone and it's affecting the actual games themselves. Not only that but it's hard to argue that these systems are not gambling. What happens next is beyond my view as a consumer. It will be interesting to see where the industry takes this or if our government gets involved but that would require them to do something.
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