The three big console makers have just pledged to put an end to the âgamblingâ aspect of lootboxes, meaning the gaming industry might finally put this whole shady moneymaking operation behind us â and not a moment too soon.
The Federal Trade Commissionâs August workshop on lootboxes appears to have made some serious waves in the industry â within days, the Electronic Software Association (ESA) reports the three console manufacturers are âcommitting to new platform policies that will require paid loot boxes in games developed for their platforms to disclose information on the relative rarity or probability of obtaining randomized virtual items.â
That means Sony, Nintendo, and Microsoft wonât allow games on their consoles if they have what we currently recognize as lootboxes: the mystery crates you purchase which can either give you rare items or common rubbish.
That would excise the main complaint against lootboxes: namely, that they somehow coax children into gambling habits by dint of being⊠well, gambling.
If you know ahead of time what youâre going to get, youâll at least be informed on how youâre spending your money.
Still, if I may play devilâs advocate, I think all of us deep down know weâre more likely to get common garbage in a lootbox.