Tag Archives: Loot Boxes

Back in June, Blizzard confirmed that it would no longer be selling loot boxes in Overwatch 2 and would instead opt to sell seasonal battle passes and have a cosmetics store where you can buy skins and other items directly. Loot boxes will be removed well ahead of the transition …

Earlier this month, Blizzard confirmed that Overwatch 2 will be launching in Early Access this October across consoles and PC. Now, the studio has revealed a bit more about the transition. Even in its Early Access state, Overwatch 2 will replace Overwatch 1, and we also know how the team …

Throughout closed alpha and beta tests, players have come away from Diablo Immortal with positive impressions. Interestingly, these pre-release versions did not include any microtransaction content, but it would appear that loot boxes will indeed be part of the game, leading to it being cancelled for the Netherlands and Belgium.  …

When it comes to the loot box debate, EA gets brought up quite often. Multiple investigations and legal cases have been thrown at the publisher in the years since Star Wars Battlefront II's release and this week, another one was added to the pile.  EA is reportedly being sued in …

Once the lootbox controversy boiled over with the release of EA's Star Wars Battlefront II, many called on the ESRB to put measures in place and for better regulation in the games industry. The ESRB did begin putting ‘in-game purchases' notices on physical game boxes but now, that will be …

Though there was once a time when loot boxes were being implemented into a large number of games, it would seem the many controversies surrounding the exploitative nature of the randomised system has led to many of these developers backtracking on the mechanic. The latest game to remove loot boxes …

The idea of ‘gaming addiction' and loot boxes encouraging gambling behaviour has been a heavy topic of discussion for the last few years. The World Health Organisation and NHS already recognise Gaming Disorder as a mental health condition and now the NHS is specifically targeting loot boxes too.  NHS mental …

Call of Duty has suffered many controversies with regards to its loot boxes. For a number of years, the First person shooter would launch without any microtransactions in sight, only to add them in later, once sales began to slow down. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare seems to be breaking …

Amid questions surrounding the upcoming Call of Duty’s post-launch loot box plans, Activision took to its blog to explain the situation. Call of Duty’s monetary structure has been relatively consistent for the last several years: at launch, the game contains no microtransactions or loot boxes; it gets reviewed well; then …

According to an official statement from Infinity Ward, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare will not include loot boxes or a supply drop system on launch. Although it wasn’t confirmed that loot boxes are out of the game for good. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare's Art Direct published a statement on …

The ongoing loot box debate continued late last week when the UK’s Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee announced that it would be recommending that video game loot boxes be regulated under gambling laws. As you might imagine, the Entertainment Software Association isn’t too happy about this. The committee, which …

Psyonix has been through some major changes this year. First off, the studio behind Rocket League was acquired by Epic Games and now, another major change is coming, with Rocket League set to cut out randomised loot boxes. Crates in Rocket League were first introduced in 2016 as a way …

Loot box controversy has been going on for years now but publishers are starting to get worried as governments around the world are starting to pay attention and are investigating how predatory these microtransactions can be in certain games. EA has of course found itself right at the centre of …

Over the last couple of years, there has been plenty of debate surrounding in-game loot boxes and whether or not they should be considered gambling. Investigations have been launched and politicians have gotten involved all across the world. While some countries took the view that loot boxes were fine, others …

Last year, the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) launched an investigation into loot boxes, attempting to gain an understanding of the practice to further protect children. While the results of this enquiry have yet to be made public, the regulator has announced that it will be holding a public forum …

While Valve, Blizzard and 2K Games adjusted their in-game loot box systems according to Belgium laws introduced last year, EA risked a criminal investigation by leaving its FIFA Pack system untouched. It seems as though the publisher has since succumbed to the pressure, as EA has finally announced plans to …

Epic Games is making some changes in Fortnite’s Save the World mode, replacing blind loot boxes with transparent packs that are upfront about their contents.  This doesn't affect the infinitely more popular Battle Royale mode, thanks to the game focusing more on tradtional microtransactions. New “X-Ray” Llamas will be introduced …

Despite multiple countries scrutinising loot boxes for their supposed link to gambling, the United Kingdom has taken a rather reserved approach by dismissing the connection on numerous occasions. Fortunately, further investigations from the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee into “addictive technologies” is allowing the public to have their say …

Bethesda has been working on Quake Champions for a few years now and the game has already gone under a few major changes. At one point, the idea was to make the game freely accessible to all, while also selling a ‘champion pack' that gave access to all in-game characters. …

Although Australia’s ECRC has already concluded that loot boxes are “psychologically akin to gambling”, a new report from the Australian Senate has called for further action. Just days after the FTC launches its own investigation in the US, pressure has mounted for the Australian government to follow suit following a …

While the UK Gambling Commission is still deliberating the effects of loot boxes in video games, it looks like the US Federal Trade Commission will be pushing forward with its own investigation. Chairman Joseph Simmons revealed the new development to the Senate Commerce Subcommittee, promising to protect children and ensure …

Back in September, chief executive of the UK Gambling Commission Neil McArthur signed a declaration to “address the risks created by the blurring of lines between gaming and gambling”. It seems as though the regulator still hasn’t linked loot boxes with underage gambling, lining up new questions to address for …

Two weeks ago, Ireland was one of 16 countries to sign a declaration to keep loot boxes in check, investigating where the in-game practice steps over the blurred line of gambling laws. Despite this, and ongoing attempts to redefine gambling laws in the country, Department of Justice David Stanton has …

US and European regulators came together yesterday to sign a declaration dedicated to keeping in-game loot boxes in check. It seems Australia might not be too far behind after the Australian Environment and Communications Reference Committee (ECRC) has concluded its study into the practice, linking loot boxes to gambling. The …

Despite an ongoing discussion spanning the past year, only a handful of countries have concluded that in-game loot boxes pertain to gambling. In an effort to further protect those vulnerable, such as minors, a US gambling regulator has come together with 15 European watchdogs to sign a declaration dedicated to …

Belgium declared purchasable in-game loot boxes illegal back in April, with the treat of criminal prosecution looming over less than a month later. While Valve, Blizzard and 2K Games all complied by removing the practice from their games in the region, EA has done nothing to rectify its FIFA packs, …

Back in April, the Belgian Ministry of Justice began enforcing harsh punishments for games with loot boxes, considering them a form of gambling. Despite disagreeing with this conclusion, Blizzard has complied with the new laws by preventing Belgian Overwatch and Heroes of the Storm players from purchasing loot boxes with …

While Valve has removed loot boxes from Counter-Strike: Global Offensive in the Netherlands after the country’s conclusion that the practice is gambling, it looks like the developer is trialling a different method for Dota 2. Still in compliance with newly introduced laws, Dutch players will now be able to see …

When it comes to loot boxes in video games, one of the big topics of conversation has surrounded the disclosure of drop rates for certain items. A few publishers have revealed drop rates for their games, and now Rocket League is joining in. Rocket League is set to get a …

Alongside EA’s Star Wars: Battlefront II, Middle-earth: Shadow of War was one of the main culprits to raise concerns about loot boxes. WB heard concerns back in April, removing loot boxes and assured fans that it would eventually get rid of microtransactions in its entirety. As of the latest patch, …