Following public backlash toward the publisher's use
of paid loot boxes in the game, EA eventually removed microtransactions temporarily in order to revamp the Battlefront II progression system.
Not exact matches
While those games might not have officially been announced, Dutch public news agency NOS reported four
of the titles under investigation were Dota 2, FIFA 18, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds, and Rocket League, the latter
of which seems especially dubious considering players must
pay to even open whatever «crates» (i.e.
loot boxes) they earn in the first place.
One
of those techniques is the «fusion
of fiction and reality», highlighting the fact that the most expensive
loot boxes in FIFA 18 are advertised with a picture
of Cristiano Ronaldo, suggesting that the more you
pay the greater your chance is
of picking up Ron.
«There will not be
loot boxes, and there will not be
pay - to - win types
of MTX [micro transactions].
However I wouldn't lie when I say it that despite having the addition
of Loot boxes, they never quite felt like they made the game «
pay to win» for me.
After so many episodes
of controversy surrounding overt
pay - to - win mechanics and shamelessly overpriced microtransactions, the
loot box is the publisher's way
of dressing up monetisation in more palatable packaging.
«Any other President would be walking out
of here with maybe one, maybe two
loot boxes... they'd be
paying through the nose for it.
However, as a gamer, this type
of loot box system is one that aggravates me, the so called «
Pay to Win» system that rewards a player for spending more money than their opponent.
The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) will soon affix a new label on physical games that feature a variety
of paid in - games purchases, including
loot boxes, season passes, and DLC.
funny how people did nt complain about
paying # 30 for a season pass but complain at a lot less for
loot boxes, instead
of moaning about them simply do nt buy them, as while people are complaining its drawing attention to them, best way for them to learn is if no1 buys them.
And in a year where major publishers are trying to figure out how to make
loot boxes the future
of monetization, that is something worth
paying attention to.
I really hate the idea
of combining this with a pubg style pvp, it would literally be
pay to win at that point as almost all the
loot in this game is locked behind microtransaction
loot boxes.
Other than the usual
Pay - to - Win complaints, which have been common for years now, the big question is now whether these
loot boxes constitute a form
of gambling or not.
A second set
of bills go ever further — House Bill 2686 and Senate Bill 3024 would prohibit the sale
of any game featuring
paid loot boxes to anybody under 21.
Kotaku reported that Next Floor and Netmarble were ordered to
pay small fines, but Nexon a much bigger one, amounting to $ 875,000, due to the company's handling
of loot boxes in a special event for the game Sudden Attack.
The idea is that not only does this encourage consumers to «
pay to win,» and pressure them to spend additional cash, but that the random nature
of loot boxes basically makes it gambling.
EA lowered the costs
of the locked heroes but
pay - to - win
loot boxes are still in the game, they're still exploitative, and EA still proved they deserve our scorn by trying to continue to manipulate their customers.
Loot boxes have been called out in various games, including Shadow
of War as a potential micro-transaction that forces gamers to
pay to win.
Out
of all the
paid catch up mechanics you can think
of, why suggest
loot boxes when they don't even guarantee that you'll catch up?
IS EA up to
pay - to - win
loot box money - grubbing chicanery or is this just an overreaction on the part
of gamers?
FIFA Ultimate Team is a bit more
pay - to - win in that soccer players are given out through packs (the game's equivalent
of loot boxes), which you can either buy with real money or with coins earned by playing or trading players.
Most triple - A games now have some sort
of «
pay virtual / real money for randomized gear» system, and the way
loot boxes have been added to games like Middle - earth: Shadow
of War and Star Wars Battlefront II has stirred a fair amount
of controversy.
A lot has changed in this time: online multiplayer has almost replaced local multiplayer entirely, extra content through
paid DLC is now the norm, pre-order bonuses for extra advantages in - game online and
of course,
loot boxes that give you things you don't want in exchange for real money.
Director
of the Gaming Commission Peter Naessens added: «
Paying loot boxes are not an innocent part
of video games that present themselves as games
of skill.
It won't be the controversial
pay - to - win
loot box system that angered a lot
of gamers back when the game launched last November.
If you're jumping into a round
of Battlefront 2's multiplayer modes as a new player and you match up against a player who's bought a load
of high level Star Cards from
loot boxes, they've effectively
paid to win.
Microtransactions — or
loot boxes as the cool kids know them now — are a fundamental part
of the game's progression system, so the advantage
of paying real - world money for better gear and abilities looms large.
With the way
loot boxes are currently set up, you
pay your money and you are assured
of something even if what that something is, is random.
Quite simply, although Star Wars: Battlefront II has been gaining headlines for its use
of loot boxes and its
pay - to - win dynamics, it isn't new ground for EA.
Shadow
of War is yanking
loot boxes out entirely, with Monolith explaining that the
pay - to - play nature «risked undermining the heart
of our game, the Nemesis System.»
Despite being the hotly anticipated sequel to Middle - earth: Shadow
of Mordor, one
of 2014's most beloved dark horse hits, last year's blockbuster game release, Middle - earth: Shadow
of War nonetheless got criticized by reviewers and consumers alike for its controversial decision to include microtransactions and
paid in - game
loot boxes, despite being primarily a single - player action - adventure game, a genre where such practices virtually never thrive.
Konami opines as long as they don't do
loot boxes allowing players to
pay more for additional features isn't much
of a big deal but it's up to the players to see if they want to keep
paying money for something that they already purchased by
paying the full price.
When you spend money on
loot boxes, you're really only
paying for a better chance at winning something valuable, and that perceived value, again, only exists within the confines
of that app.
Ars Technica also pointed out that with the new update, players are given the ability to
pay $ 10 and accelerate the unlock
of the NBA stars — something that was previously only possible via
loot boxes.
I really hope you read this review instead
of jumping to the score because if microtransactions and a
pay - to - progress
loot box system don't bother you, this game is certainly for you.
The fact that Rare did not include any semblance
of loot boxes and
paid micro-transactions is a good sign for the future
of this game.
If the Belgian Gaming Commission finds that the
loot box system in «Star Wars Battlefront II» is considered as gambling, EA could be asked to
pay a fine that might cost hundreds
of thousands
of euros.
If a game makes users
pay to have at a
loot box, Apple thinks customers should know how much
of a chance they have at getting certain prizes.