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The Belgian Gaming Commission has completed its investigation of loot boxes in Overwatch, Counter-strike: Global Offensive, FIFA 18 and Star Wars Battlefront 2. The committee determined that Overwatch, Counter-strike: Global Offensive and FIFA 18 are in violation of Belgian gambling laws and have determined that they are illegal. As a result, loot boxes must be removed from these games or "risk a prison sentence up to 5 years and a fine of 800k Euro".
Comments
Buy currency in game for example diamonds diamonds hold no real dollar value.
Diamonds can also be earned free in game - used just to say it's an in game currency can be obtained free.
Diamonds are then used to purchase loot boxes thus are no longer bought for real money?
Would loop hole be legal since games like arche age are not talked about?
Games like ArcheAge are not talked about because they're not being investigated. They did not investigate every game on the planet, just some of the AAA games.
I think it is awesome. And not because I am Dutch (it helps, we rock) but because finally the issue is being aknowledged by officials which means change might be coming.
/Cheers,
Lahnmir
Kyleran on yours sincerely
'But there are many. You can play them entirely solo, and even offline. Also, you are wrong by default.'
Ikcin in response to yours sincerely debating whether or not single-player offline MMOs exist...
'This does not apply just to ED but SC or any other game. What they will get is Rebirth/X4, likely prettier but equally underwhelming and pointless.
It is incredibly difficult to design some meaningfull leg content that would fit a space ship game - simply because it is not a leg game.
It is just huge resource waste....'
Gdemami absolutely not being an armchair developer
Kids shouldn't be allowed to have access to credit cards it's the parents fault and people who get easily addicted need to be watched by their friends and family and not expect gaming companies to babysit.
I personally have bought a loot box literally only once and it was in Path of Exile after I had leftover points that I didn't need. I'm mentioning this because I want to point out that I don't care if lootboxes are in the games or not because I don't buy any, but it still feels stupid removing them because people don't care for their friends and family.
Also as it was already mentioned there is a workaround if they put currency that you can buy and use that currency to buy boxes afterwards.
Also I would love to see how Belgium will imprison "Blizzard" for example... It feels like they are misunderstanding that companies stand behind this and not one single person lol. Good luck actually suing and winning a case against any big gaming company.
If I was Blizzard I would just IP block Belgium ips and see if the government is happy with that. Of course this is a really shitty move because there is no reason to punish players that have nothing to do with this, but I personally can't imagine Blizzard removing lootboxes from Overwatch. Same with CS:GO and FIFA. Why would they when that's where all their money comes from.
And one last thing. Removing the boxes won't really solve anything because then gaming companies will just release expensive skins nonstop and I'm pretty sure that 'people at risk" and kids will waste money buying each one, so nothing will change.
Loot crates/Box's was just a money making racket by games dev's, they knew they were expensive to buy and also knew that you had less than a 5% chance of getting what you wanted or somethign reasonable.
Ok if there freely obtained but buying them with real money is a nono. It kills games.
Bring back the P2P monthly subscription and do away with these loot box's and in game shop/stores. At least you knew where you stood and how much said game would be on a monthly basis.
I see even these buy 2 play games have dropped the buy 2 play option, gone F2P with the shitty in game store/shop and loot crate/box's type thing. Those that bought they game get screwed over with the new versions as they lose out.
edit: who do you think these cards are for? Adults with credit cards?
"Be water my friend" - Bruce Lee
That is pretty much what I said to begin LOL. What is going to stop these companies from using this monetization? Could it be stricter regulation?
Affects me directly? Doesn't effect me one little bit except for maybe having to support welfare gamer losers, who are too fucking lazy and addicted to work.
edit: and by that i'm talking about the ones who do that by choice.
"Be water my friend" - Bruce Lee
"Be water my friend" - Bruce Lee
Edit: To address your point on cash shop cards, these are usually marketed as gift cards. They're good for ... you know... gifts. A whale - someone who spends a lot, often, is going to prefer a faster more convenient payment method than something that requires a trip to the grocery store. These games tend to encourage impulse spending and streak spending that doesn't lend itself to an inconvenient payment method.
“Microtransactions? In a single player role-playing game? Are you nuts?”
― CD PROJEKT RED
"So what you in for?"
"I robbed a bank... you?"
"I sold loot crates in games"
"You sick bastard!"
“Microtransactions? In a single player role-playing game? Are you nuts?”
― CD PROJEKT RED
https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/23/credit-card-debt-hits-record-high.html
http://time.com/money/4213757/average-american-credit-card-debt/
"Be water my friend" - Bruce Lee
If people pay attention at all in this world ,they would realize that laws over the years are often manipulated for personal agenda.I would not doubt for one minute than many laws have loopholes created by bad people in hopes of getting off themselves or family/friends from criminal activity.
I have seen several cases of when a government official was found guilty of some wrong doing,stealing funds illegal connections when giving away government contracts etc etc.
We can even look a Trump,he basically says Snowden should be hung or thrown in jail forever for treason but when information comes out on Trump he switches gears and say oh wait a minute,they must have used illegal wire tapping.So somehow trump wants to change the story from him and his colleagues from acting within treason and breaking many national security laws and pointing the finger elsewhere.Then when confronted with his teams illegal activity would mean jail time Trump laughed and said "i would love to see them try and arrest me".
So you can see laws change depending who you are and how much power you have.Oh i might need to get a family member off a murder charge,i'll make up some law that if he is not brought to court within 3 days ,he is a free man.All this stuff happens everywhere everyday.
The point of loot boxes is that obviously i don't make the law,but as laws stands right now they most certainly have ALWAYS been illegal,it is just that the law is always broken down into divisions letting criminal activity get off on a technicality."Well we can't really accuse them under this division of law ,hmm it might fall under the jurisdiction of that section of law but we are not sure etc etc.
Never forget 3 mile Island and never trust a government official or company spokesman.