GRcade

Fade wrote:Can somebody explain to me how trading cards or blind boxes are any different to loot boxes in video games?

Trading card booster packs are essentially a form of gambling. But they are less likely to have a negative impact on children, because that system involves taking real money to a physical shop and getting actual items, which will probably involve parental oversight. They are also not on-demand dopamine fixes (you can't buy & immediately open Pokemon cards in bed at 1am or whatever).

The value of trading cards is also technically determined in part by the manufacturing and shipping cost of said items. A pack of 9 yugioh cards, as far as the supplier is concerned, is the base value of 9 cards that have a combined individual value matching the cost to manufacture and ship the pack.

Karl wrote:

Fade wrote:Can somebody explain to me how trading cards or blind boxes are any different to loot boxes in video games?

Trading card booster packs are essentially a form of gambling. But they are less likely to have a negative impact on children, because that system involves taking real money to a physical shop and getting actual items, which will probably involve parental oversight. They are also not on-demand dopamine fixes (you can't buy & immediately open Pokemon cards in bed at 1am or whatever).

Someone obviously didn't get a shiny Charmander.

Hime wrote:

Karl wrote:

Fade wrote:Can somebody explain to me how trading cards or blind boxes are any different to loot boxes in video games?

Trading card booster packs are essentially a form of gambling. But they are less likely to have a negative impact on children, because that system involves taking real money to a physical shop and getting actual items, which will probably involve parental oversight. They are also not on-demand dopamine fixes (you can't buy & immediately open Pokemon cards in bed at 1am or whatever).

Someone obviously didn't get a shiny Charmander.

I must admit, Im really not a fan of these loot things, but Im not sure its for the same reason as most others here. I feel like Im a person whos hugely susceptible to the boxes and how they work. Im a completionist kind of person, and Im also the kind of person who likes to stand out and be different from other players. If I see that some content is gated away I just yearn for it. It can be gooseberry fool but I feel like I need to have it.

When I was a big console player I was the idiot who bought the maximum trim level collectors editions or whatever. It would literally drive me over the edge to know another player had an icon I didnt have or a skin I couldnt have. Its one thing spending money on crap DLC or a bigger box with a toy I dont want, but I feel like the loot boxes really take advantage of idiots like me.

Case in point. I dont really like Overwatch. I dont really like the community, the players, the story, the game modes, the queues. Not a fan. Ive spent at least £50 on top of the base launch price on skin boxes (which strawberry floated me over anyway). I played CSGO, wasnt a huge fan, preferred the old games. The compulsion I felt to have a stattrack gun was just all consuming. Had to have it. Destiny 2. Not a great game, pretty barebones, lots of issues - but I play it a lot. The loot boxes in that game are pretty strawberry floating useless. There is nothing I can think of in those boxes that I cant just get if I play more (and I play that game too much anyway), but every time I launch I consider buying some loot boxes. Its literally a struggle of will not to. If it was a smoother process to buy silver in game on the PC version then I have no doubts I definitely would have bought crates, and I KNOW they are useless. I still want them.

I feel like if it preys on someone like me (your garden variety idiot) like this, then what hope does a strawberry floating kid or gambling addict have? There is not a single doubt in my mind that these things are predatory in every aspect of their design.

I bought gooseberry fool in strawberry floating PUBG even though I dont play or really care about the game just because I had to see it.

Make all this gooseberry fool illegal. Save special people like me from ourselves. Wont somebody please think of the children?

Gemini73 wrote:Now Belgium declare loot boxes illegal

https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2018 ... re-illegal

I wonder what EA and other publishers are going to do. Are they going to create custom editions for these (very small) markets or not release their games there at all?

It's too much of a money spinner to remove them from all markets (yet).

KK wrote:

Gemini73 wrote:Now Belgium declare loot boxes illegal

https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2018 ... re-illegal

I wonder what EA and other publishers are going to do. Are they going to create custom editions for these (very small) markets or not release their games there at all?

It's too much of a money spinner to remove them from all markets (yet).

I imagine they'll not sell them in these markets at all. EA still have the UK, US, (both of whom have stated that loot boxes are not gambling), and the rest of the world to exploit.

KK wrote:Are they going to create custom editions for these (very small) markets

If they did this, could gamers vote with their wallets against loot boxes by importing/buying this edition from their regional stores? That could be interesting

Depends how it's done, if it's a custom edition that goes there's 3 types of armour and two flags if you don't like it blame your government then I don't see many people importing them etc

Just do what the Germans do with Football Manager and other games that are/were banned from distribution in their country. Just import from a neighbouring country.

https://venturebeat.com/2018/05/08/ea-c ... ssion=true

Belgium and the Netherlands have ruledthat many loot boxes in games like FIFA Ultimate Team are equivalent to gambling and in violation of their laws, but FIFA publisher Electronic Arts says it plans to continue its loot-box Ultimate Team mode.

“We’re going to continue pushing forward [with FIFA Ultimate Team],” EA chief executive officer Andrew Wilson said during a conference call with industry analysts. “We’re always thinking about our players. We’re always thinking about how to deliver these types of experiences in a transparent, fun, fair, and balanced way for our players — and we’ll continue to work with regulators on that.”
Wilson explained to investors that it is working to protect this valuable revenue source, which has helped the company grow year-over-year to $1.25 billion during its last quarter even without releasing a major new game.

“We’re working with all of the industry associations globally and with regulators in certain regions and territories,” said Wilson. “Many of [the regulators] we’ve been working with for a long time, and they have evaluated and established that programs like FIFA Ultimate Team are not gambling.”

And I'll push forward by continuing to not buy their gooseberry fool games.

Have they actually released a single good game this generation? Hard to believe these were the guys who published great games like Mass Effect, Dead Space, Left 4 Dead, Burnout Revenge and FIFA 12 last gen.

False wrote:I must admit, Im really not a fan of these loot things, but Im not sure its for the same reason as most others here. I feel like Im a person whos hugely susceptible to the boxes and how they work. Im a completionist kind of person, and Im also the kind of person who likes to stand out and be different from other players. If I see that some content is gated away I just yearn for it. It can be gooseberry fool but I feel like I need to have it.
...Make all this gooseberry fool illegal. Save special people like me from ourselves. Wont somebody please think of the children?

This was an interesting post. It's definitely people like you - that are particularly 'susceptible' to loot boxes for whatever reason - that mean it absolutely has to be regulated ASAP. The way I see it these corporations are just straight up exploiting some psychological glitch to get a certain subset of people to buy stuff against their will.

NickSCFC wrote:Have they actually released a single good game this generation?

Of recent titles A Way Out is great, Fe is okay and a good sign of a better indie-like commitment from EA, and I enjoyed the Battlefront II campaign.

Still of this generation we had Titanfall 2, which has a brilliant campaign, and Unravel was an interesting game with a decent reception (though I've yet to play it).

NickSCFC wrote:https://venturebeat.com/2018/05/08/ea-ceo-were-pushing-forward-with-loot-boxes-in-face-of-regulation/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

Belgium and the Netherlands have ruledthat many loot boxes in games like FIFA Ultimate Team are equivalent to gambling and in violation of their laws, but FIFA publisher Electronic Arts says it plans to continue its loot-box Ultimate Team mode.

“We’re going to continue pushing forward [with FIFA Ultimate Team],” EA chief executive officer Andrew Wilson said during a conference call with industry analysts. “We’re always thinking about our players. We’re always thinking about how to deliver these types of experiences in a transparent, fun, fair, and balanced way for our players — and we’ll continue to work with regulators on that.”
Wilson explained to investors that it is working to protect this valuable revenue source, which has helped the company grow year-over-year to $1.25 billion during its last quarter even without releasing a major new game.

“We’re working with all of the industry associations globally and with regulators in certain regions and territories,” said Wilson. “Many of [the regulators] we’ve been working with for a long time, and they have evaluated and established that programs like FIFA Ultimate Team are not gambling.”

And I'll push forward by continuing to not buy their gooseberry fool games.

So, er, is EA planning on breaking the law in these countries then? Certainly sounds like it.

I always disliked Andrew Wilson.

Always came off as a smug banana split at E3 and nothing he's done has convinced me otherwise.

Perfect fit for EA really.

“Many of [the regulators] we’ve been working with for a long time, and once we've given them enough money they have evaluated and established that programs like FIFA Ultimate Team are not gambling.”

Fixed.

Dig Dug wrote:Just do what the Germans do with Football Manager and other games that are/were banned from distribution in their country. Just import from a neighbouring country.

Why is FM banned in Germany?

Licensing, afaik

Star Citizen backers looking to build their own fleet can now buy a new ship pack containing 117 craft—nearly every ship in the game—along with 163 extra items, including upgrades, skins and in-game posters. It's a mere $27,000.

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...you'll only be able to view the purchase page if you've already spent $1,000 on the open-world space sim.

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jawafour wrote:

Star Citizen backers looking to build their own fleet can now buy a new ship pack containing 117 craft—nearly every ship in the game—along with 163 extra items, including upgrades, skins and in-game posters. It's a mere $27,000.

.

...you'll only be able to view the purchase page if you've already spent $1,000 on the open-world space sim.

.

strawberry float me

NOT A SCAM