Loot boxes are to become more transparent. This has recently been decided by the three major console manufacturers Microsoft (Xbox One), Sony (PlayStation 4), and Nintendo (Switch) in collaboration with the US organization ESA.
What has been decided? Under the direction of the US agency “Federal Trade Commission”, the ESA (Entertainment Software Association) announced that it has agreed with the three major console manufacturers Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo on a new approach to the controversial topic of loot boxes.
From now on, all new games with loot boxes and updates that add loot boxes to existing games must follow clear rules. The chances of obtaining items of different rarities must always be displayed. This is intended to regulate the wild gambling nature of loot boxes.
If one knows that there is only a 0.001 percent chance of getting a certain item, they might not spend a fortune on real money in the cash shop and can better calculate how much acquiring a specific loot will likely cost them.
“This approach would also be compatible with the Apple and Google approach on mobile platforms. We believe that together this provides a comprehensive approach to ensure that consumers receive the information they need to make informed purchasing decisions when it comes to paid loot boxes.”
Michael Warnecke from the ESA via GameSpot
Is a turnaround in loot boxes coming?
How binding are the agreements? The agreement to make loot boxes transparent has been made on a voluntary basis. This is likely a preemptive response by the major manufacturers to possibly upcoming regulations, such as the already implemented loot box ban in Belgium.
Furthermore, besides the aforementioned manufacturers, several publishers are also ESA members and are reportedly participating voluntarily in the agreement. Although no names were mentioned, known ESA members include:
- Activision Blizzard
- Bethesda
- Disney
- Epic Games
- Square Enix
- Take-Two
- Ubisoft
It is therefore quite possible that something will soon change regarding loot boxes in the games of the aforementioned publishers and that the boxes will become more transparent.
China had a similar law several years ago
Is this already the case elsewhere? Yes, in China, a similar law was enacted at the end of 2016.
Therefore, we already know the exact odds for card packs in Blizzard’s Hearthstone, which also operates in China.
The odds for loot boxes in League of Legends (LoL) or Overwatch have also been known since then.
Recently, however, EA made headlines again with loot boxes:
