Poll of the Day > i don't see 'loot boxes' as gambling either, ok?

(+) Yeah! (+)

https://kotaku.com/esrb-says-it-doesnt-see-loot-boxes-as-gambling-1819363091

gambling sets a president as something you could potentially get your money back several times over and save christmas, the farm, and the orphanage, ok?

loot boxes, you just get in-game shit... shit that could be great, and shit that could be not-so great. people aren't going lose their livelihood over loot boxes, because they realize there is no possibility for financial return, ok?
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It still triggers the part of the brain the that gets addicted to gambling though.
Even though it's not the same, it has the same effect.

EDIT: There's something majorly f***ing wrong with my autocorrect.

shadowsword87 posted...

It still triggers the part of the brain the that gets addicted to gambling though.
Even though it's not the same, it has thehathiufhhe same effect.

i'm not saying it's not predatory as fuck, but i don't think it's gambling, ok?
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I don't fundamentally hate loot boxes to the point where I think there should be some regulation to prevent them. I would just never spend money on them. If I am spending real money on something, I want to know exactly what I am getting, not what I could potentially get.

Loot boxes that rely on in-game currency or game progression I think are great though, as long as they have a decent chance of giving you something good and don't give you stuff you already have (or if they do at least let you exchange it for more in-game currency).
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Yeah, people need to stop crying about microtransactions. As long as the loot is available to earn through regular (albeit potentially lengthy/grindy) gameplay, then whats the harm?

Developers are shutting down left and right in this make-or-break market, theyre all looking for ways to turn a profit and keep afloat. If microtransactions will keep them in business, I see them as a good thing.

No one forces you to buy loot boxes. If youre not patient enough to earn them in-game, thats on you, not the developer.
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Dikitain posted...

If I am spending real money on something, I want to know exactly what I am getting, not what I could potentially get.

that's exactly my thing. i've never purchased one loot box in my life for this very reason, ok?
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I'm ok with them in free to play games, but not games that I buy
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ZiggiStardust posted...

Dikitain posted...

If I am spending real money on something, I want to know exactly what I am getting, not what I could potentially get.

that's exactly my thing. i've never purchased one loot box in my life for this very reason, ok?

Its the same concept as buying Yu Gi Oh or MtG cards, though. You dont know what youre going to get, but youre hoping for something good.

When I was really into Magic, I dont recall anyone complaining about not knowing what was in the packs. Maybe some disappointment if you didnt get something worthwhile, but not complaining about the mystery behind it. Then again, we could always trade cards.

Would it be better if they allowed for trading of loot in games?
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are carnival games gambling?
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ssj4supervegeta posted...

are carnival games gambling?

i don't think they are, ok?
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Not gambling you say?

https://clips.twitch.tv/SpoopySparklyToothDancingBaby
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eating4fun posted...

Not gambling you say?

https://clips.twitch.tv/SpoopySparklyToothDancingBaby

Thats not in-game, though.

Thats an independent site.
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Far-Queue posted...

ZiggiStardust posted...

Dikitain posted...

If I am spending real money on something, I want to know exactly what I am getting, not what I could potentially get.

that's exactly my thing. i've never purchased one loot box in my life for this very reason, ok?

Its the same concept as buying Yu Gi Oh or MtG cards, though. You dont know what youre going to get, but youre hoping for something good.

When I was really into Magic, I dont recall anyone complaining about not knowing what was in the packs. Maybe some disappointment if you didnt get something worthwhile, but not complaining about the mystery behind it. Then again, we could always trade cards.

Would it be better if they allowed for trading of loot in games?

When I was playing Magic, I always bought the theme decks or played booster draft. With the later, I always justified it as "the cost of entering the game and getting free cards as a result".

Trading of loot would be great though, but it still wouldn't entice me to pay real money for the boxes.
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Anyone who spends money on digital content for a character in a videogame needs help

OhhhJa posted...

Anyone who spends money on digital content for a character in a videogame needs help

i don't think it's necessarily that bad, though some people will spend entire paychecks on these things. i'd say most purchases are impulse buys here and there. not enough to deem needing 'help', ok?
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Dikitain posted...

Trading of loot would be great though, but it still wouldn't entice me to pay real money for the boxes.

Me neither. Im not defending the practice for any other reason than I see it as a means for developers to remain solvent.

Hopefully, they can figure out a way to make a profit that doesnt rely on this sort of thing, but I dont see it disappearing any time soon.

And for anyone who hates loot boxes and DLC etc, the best thing you could do is buy games new (if you can afford it). Support the games and developers you can as much as possible.
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ZiggiStardust posted...

https://kotaku.com/esrb-says-it-doesnt-see-loot-boxes-as-gambling-1819363091

gambling sets a president as something you could potentially get your money back several times over and save christmas, the farm, and the orphanage.

loot boxes, you just get in-game shit... shit that could be great, and shit that could be not-so great. people aren't going lose their livelihood over loot boxes, because they realize there is no possibility for financial return.

I think this just shows how in somebodies pocket these panels and boards can be.

ZiggiStardust posted...

OhhhJa posted...

Anyone who spends money on digital content for a character in a videogame needs help

i don't think it's necessarily that bad, though some people will spend entire paychecks on these things. i'd say most purchases are impulse buys here and there. not enough to deem needing 'help', ok?

If you spend over the price of a game on those things, you have a problem and the company is making a ton of money off of something that's not even of any tangible value that they spent maybe 45 minutes on if that

dedbus posted...

ZiggiStardust posted...

https://kotaku.com/esrb-says-it-doesnt-see-loot-boxes-as-gambling-1819363091

gambling sets a president as something you could potentially get your money back several times over and save christmas, the farm, and the orphanage.

loot boxes, you just get in-game shit... shit that could be great, and shit that could be not-so great. people aren't going lose their livelihood over loot boxes, because they realize there is no possibility for financial return.

I think this just shows how in somebodies pocket these panels and boards can be.

or maybe....it's just not gambling.
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What about loot boxes in steam that can give rare items that can be sold for steam wallet money
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Stop buying games with loot boxes. Go support indies. Show the devs they don't need to be corporate slaves to survive. Skip the publishers and just make the games. Most of my goty picks for 2017 are indies. AAA games are generally bad now.
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VeeVees posted...

Stop buying games with loot boxes. Go support indies. Show the devs they don't need to be corporate slaves to survive. Skip the publishers and just make the games. Most of my goty picks for 2017 are indies. AAA games are generally bad now.

most of your clothes can be made yourself from hemp! i'm growing this mustache ironically! I LISTENED TO THEM BEFORE THEY WERE POPULAR, OK???????
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Typical shit response from idiots who think indie = hipster.
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Far-Queue posted...

eating4fun posted...

Not gambling you say?

https://clips.twitch.tv/SpoopySparklyToothDancingBaby

Thats not in-game, though.

Thats an independent site.

That site mimics the loot box system of what's used in-game, where the item you receive from your payment has varying monetary value. There were similar sites that were shut down, but these sprung up because it's a loophole for "not gambling" since you're always getting something in return, or something like that.
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Also its precedent* not president, ok?
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VeeVees posted...

Typical shit response from idiots who think indie = hipster.

in your defense, most hipsters don't think they're hipsters, ok?
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DrPrimemaster posted...

Also its precedent* not president, ok?

ugh, i do know this, i don't know why i did that. shame me pls. i deserve it, ok?
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Far-Queue posted...

Dikitain posted...

Trading of loot would be great though, but it still wouldn't entice me to pay real money for the boxes.

Me neither. Im not defending the practice for any other reason than I see it as a means for developers to remain solvent.

Hopefully, they can figure out a way to make a profit that doesnt rely on this sort of thing, but I dont see it disappearing any time soon.

And for anyone who hates loot boxes and DLC etc, the best thing you could do is buy games new (if you can afford it). Support the games and developers you can as much as possible.

Yeah, f*** off. You know what they could also do to not shut down? Spend less money on games.
Also, you're not obligated to make sure they stay afloat, in any way shape or form.

ZiggiStardust posted...

VeeVees posted...

Typical shit response from idiots who think indie = hipster.

in your defense, most hipsters don't think they're hipsters, ok?

LMFAO, indie games are mainstream as fuck. The most popular game on steam right now is indie.
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shadowsword87 posted...

Yeah, f*** off. You know what they could also do to not shut down? Spend less money on games.
Also, you're not obligated to make sure they stay afloat, in any way shape or form.

1. - Never said the consumer is obligated to ensure a company stays in business. Just said if you have a particular development studio or game series that you want to see succeed, the best way you could help is to buy the game new. Especially on or near launch.

2. - Not going to argue that AAA game development budgets are bloated, they certainly are. Im sure that more than a handful of studios could stand to rein in their spending. Doesnt take away from the point that supporting your favorite devs/games is crucial to their continued success.
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ZiggiStardust posted...

gambling sets a president as something you could potentially get your money back several times over and save christmas, the farm, and the orphanage, ok?

It's spending money for a chance to get a return. That's pretty much the definition of gambling, especially in cases where trading is an option and that item can have real-world value as a result. It's not going to be as life-destroying as spending days in a casino would be, but it's absolutely preying on the same reward circuits and addictive behaviour that casinos love to profit off of.

Far-Queue posted...

Developers are shutting down left and right in this make-or-break market, theyre all looking for ways to turn a profit and keep afloat. If microtransactions will keep them in business, I see them as a good thing.

The thing is, though, it's not struggling small developers that are doing this. Most developers are happy to just make the best game they can and hope for the best, rather than relying on microtransactions and loot boxes and piles of DLC and other content pricing tricks to squeeze the most money they can out of their investment. It's the big publishers that do it, and even then only with games that they know will be selling like hotcakes regardless of how much they push the envelope and how many people they piss off. EA does not need to nickel and dime its customers to stay afloat. Ubisoft does not need to nickel and dime its customers to stay afloat. Squenix does not need to nickel and dime its customers to stay afloat. WB does not need to say "we can't fix the bugs that make Arkham Knight literally unplayable on PC's because we're too busy developing DLC for it" to stay afloat. But they do.

I actually wouldn't be objecting much if it were new, small indie developers doing these things in an effort to gain a foothold in a cutthroat market, because it is indeed hard to make it in this industry. But that's not it at all. This is a combination of unchecked corporate greed and ridiculously bloated AAA budgets, from big publishers that are doing these things not because they need to, but because they know they can get away with it and make a quick buck. Big publishers don't need sympathy or extra support to make up for how hard it is to make it in this market. They can take care of themselves.
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adjl posted...

That's pretty much the definition of gambling

this is true... and as a literal definition, it is technically gambling, ok?

i personally just don't look at it and think, "this is gambling, these people are gambling", ok?

but that's just me. i've yet to purchase one blind box, so i don't feel particularly strong about what people call it, ok?
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idk, I knew people who loved what they called penny ante poker. really low stakes games as you used only pennies to place bets. at most you could hope to walk out a dollar richer. but yet some people loved the hell out of it and played it all the time.

Far-Queue posted...

ZiggiStardust posted...

Dikitain posted...

If I am spending real money on something, I want to know exactly what I am getting, not what I could potentially get.

that's exactly my thing. i've never purchased one loot box in my life for this very reason, ok?

Its the same concept as buying Yu Gi Oh or MtG cards, though. You dont know what youre going to get, but youre hoping for something good.

When I was really into Magic, I dont recall anyone complaining about not knowing what was in the packs. Maybe some disappointment if you didnt get something worthwhile, but not complaining about the mystery behind it. Then again, we could always trade cards.

Would it be better if they allowed for trading of loot in games?

that would help especially in injustice's case. people on the average be seeming to get good gear for everyone but the characters they main. it really feels like the more you want something in that game the less likely you'll actually get it. where as other people are claiming left and right they got said thing but wasn't interested in it at all.
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ZiggiStardust posted...

this is true... and as a literal definition, it is technically gambling, ok?

i personally just don't look at it and think, "this is gambling, these people are gambling", ok?

And that's why it works so well to make money for the publishers, because most people don't immediately think of it as being gambling, including would-be problem gamblers who stay far away from casinos because they know gambling would be a bad idea for them.
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This is more or less the same reasoning that pachinko parlors use to skirt Japan's laws against gambling.
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