LogFAQs > #890903991

I don't consider it gambling, but people have different opinions. I see many people calling it gambling and using the excuse 'think of the children' to get rid of lootboxes. That's a silly argument because there are many parental controls people can use on their PCs and consoles. Plus they can password protect anyone from purchasing content in games. People shouldn't use children as an excuse. Parents shouldn't use children as an excuse for poor parenting.

Lootboxes are no different than trading cards, mystery toy boxes, crane machines, etc. I guess all of that should be banned as well?

People are saying games with lootboxes should be rated as Adults Only, but guess what? No retail stores carry AO games and console manufacturers don't license AO games.

If anything, games should keep their standard ESRB rating but should have a description along with them saying 'contains microtransactions.' Publishers could be required to show the odds of winning too on their site or whatever.

In addition, people buying pre-paid currency cards/gift cards for Xbox Store, PS Store, Eshop, Steam, etc. should be carded (18+). An adult should accompany children buying those pre-paid cards/gift cards.

I feel like a lot of people are attacking Overwatch with this lootbox controversy. Overwatch is one of the few that does lootboxes right. You can easily get lootboxes without paying a cent. Everything you obtain from lootboxes is completely cosmetic. Obtaining cosmetics through lootboxes makes each item more unique and special because you get them at random. If you have a duplicate, you'll get some gold coins instead. If you have enough gold coins, you can exchange them for any item you want (if you have enough coins).

See? It's all cosmetics in Overwatch and it makes getting them fun because you don't know what you'll get. If you could directly buy what you wanted, it wouldn't make the cosmetics special and I personally wouldn't be too interested in them. Just for the record, I have only purchases $2 worth of lootboxes in Overwatch. I wouldn't mind spending more to be honest, but money is tight.

Last but not least, the main reason lootboxes work well in Overwatch is that it funds regular updates and new content such as maps, heroes, and new game modes. Other games sell expensive map packs that separate the user base and makes it smaller. Did you know Overwatch gets updated every few weeks? Sometimes it's a minor patch, and sometimes it's a big patch. They always try to balance the game and add something new. This wouldn't happen if they sold everything in packs. And again, best of all, lootboxes can be obtained free in Overwatch and everything is cosmetics that gives no one unfair advantages.

I'm fully aware there are many games that shit microtransaction and lootbox practices. Those are the companies that should be targeted for their shitty anti-consumer practices. Oh, and I know there are people who are addicted to gambling and that's unfortunate. But it is impossible to supervise every single person out there.
---

#pipebomb_phil
http://i.imgur.com/atWQoAs.gif