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Official European Union Consumer Watchdog Organization Calls For Microtransaction Ban and Regulation

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Comments

  • vonryan123vonryan123 Member UncommonPosts: 516
    edited September 16
    Was going to post a reply but after reading the rest of the thread it just not worth the effort. Plus I couldn't find the delete so this is the edit, enjoy...

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  • vonryan123vonryan123 Member UncommonPosts: 516
    edited September 16
    Same as above, sorry just had 2nd thoughts about even engaging in this discussion. If I find the delete on my phone I will remove them.

    image
  • cheyanecheyane Member LegendaryPosts: 9,404
    I hope this works in Europe where I live. I want this scourge to be gone.
    Scot
    Garrus Signature
  • ScotScot Member LegendaryPosts: 24,423
    olepi said:
    Scot said:
    olepi said:
    Wargfoot said:
    So, what was so bad about the subscription model again?
    The problem is that with a subscription model, how do you milk the whales?
    Have a cash shop that only sells cosmetic items, you would get some whales but by no means most that way.
    I look at the example of Fortnite. We scoff at Star Citizen wasting $700 million, and seem amazed at WoW making $700 million a year, but Fortnite makes $4-5 Billion a year. It has no subscription needed, and a cash shop with only cosmetics. 
    I was thinking of Fortnite, but that is a social phenomenon played by an audience that has in my eyes an obsession with cosmetics, i.e. they are youngsters. ;)

    But if you could give a new MMORPG even a slice of that phenomenon it might need only a small sub.
  • IceAgeIceAge Member EpicPosts: 3,203
    IceAge said:
    Blueliner said:

    So tell me please. how do congressmen (and women) enter service making $174000 a year and after say 2 terms leave with 60million? yep no one ever gets paid by lobbyists smh ya'll delusional
    Out of ..curiosity, but can you give me some evidence of a said congressman who left after 2 terms with 60 mil and not get caught? And if that's the case, then the congressman leaving with 60 mil should be nothing actually, because the problem is way bigger. 

    Authorities should get individuals like him. And as far as I know ( I am not a US citizen ) , lobbying ( and taking money for that ) while still in office is strictly forbidden. 

    ..but, of course! You may be right and I might be wrong. So give me some evidences. Thanks!

    Wargfoot said:
    Blueliner said:

    So tell me please. how do congressmen (and women) enter service making $174000 a year and after say 2 terms leave with 60million? yep no one ever gets paid by lobbyists smh ya'll delusional
    Oh come on you looney conspiracy nut - they earn it through honest insider trading.
    Anyone who earns that much money are doing it illegal and your IRS or whoever is actually in charge to get this kind of people are to blame if they not getting them.

    And implying that "is normal business" is delusional. This are frauds and should never be given as exemple. 

    But hey! Something tells me that neither you or the other guy will fail to give me exemple and max I will get will be "iF yoU WantZ aNSWers GooGlE It .. man!!!"

    ..right?
    Sure he exaggerated but the site below is rather interesting (if out of date)

    https://ballotpedia.org/Changes_in_Net_Worth_of_U.S._Senators_and_Representatives_(Personal_Gain_Index)


    It's not so much folks that join Congress for 2 terms and make $60M.  It's folks that spend 5 decades in government and are ridiculously wealthy at the end.  This isn't a one party issue.  Both have plenty of bad actors.

    The vast majority of politicians that are in Washington for over a decade are making their money elsewhere.  And yeah, maybe the videogame industry isn't the largest lobbyist but they just have to get the right 3 or 4 people motivated to sink any proposals.  Or tweak them to be neutered.



    ..right! That's your data? Man ! I mean its fine, you guys are Americans, and mostly conspiracy theories. Is fine. Almost all the guys from that list were already pretty or very wealthy before being elected and their increase in wealth has zero evidence that they earned it from lobbying X or Y company or something.

    About folks that spend 5 decades in the government and are ridiculously wealthy at the end, well .. are you serious? I mean of course some have done some shitty illegal things, that's for sure, but I assume the majority increased their wealth based on the experience they got from all this years.

    I mean if you work for 50 years at a company and at the end you are not ridiculously wealthy than when you came at that company, then you clearly did something wrong. I mean at 20 years you barely have any cash, but I assume at 70, you have a house, a car, a dog, a cat, etc right? Isn't that ridiculously wealthy than you were at 20 ?

    Anyway! 

    Reporter: What's behind Blizzard success, and how do you make your gamers happy?
    Blizzard Boss: Making gamers happy is not my concern, making money.. yes!

  • ScotScot Member LegendaryPosts: 24,423
    "I mean its fine, you guys are Americans, and mostly conspiracy theories. Is fine."

    Have you got any one of caricatures for Brits for me so we don't feel left out? :D
    WargfootIceAge
  • WargfootWargfoot Member EpicPosts: 1,458
    IceAge said:
    ..right! That's your data? Man ! I mean its fine, you guys are Americans, and mostly conspiracy theories. Is fine. 

    You're not a US Citizen?

    If that is the case, then on behalf of the coast-to-coast hoard of low information voters that populate this country I'd like to offer a sincere apology for electing our criminal class to positions of leadership.

    It was either that or send them to prison.

    FYI: For us, the deciding factor is whether or not they look good in $5,000 bespoke suits and have nice hair.   Fail that test, and we send you to the pokey.


    Scot
  • Slapshot1188Slapshot1188 Member LegendaryPosts: 17,649
    edited September 16
    IceAge said:
    IceAge said:
    Blueliner said:

    So tell me please. how do congressmen (and women) enter service making $174000 a year and after say 2 terms leave with 60million? yep no one ever gets paid by lobbyists smh ya'll delusional
    Out of ..curiosity, but can you give me some evidence of a said congressman who left after 2 terms with 60 mil and not get caught? And if that's the case, then the congressman leaving with 60 mil should be nothing actually, because the problem is way bigger. 

    Authorities should get individuals like him. And as far as I know ( I am not a US citizen ) , lobbying ( and taking money for that ) while still in office is strictly forbidden. 

    ..but, of course! You may be right and I might be wrong. So give me some evidences. Thanks!

    Wargfoot said:
    Blueliner said:

    So tell me please. how do congressmen (and women) enter service making $174000 a year and after say 2 terms leave with 60million? yep no one ever gets paid by lobbyists smh ya'll delusional
    Oh come on you looney conspiracy nut - they earn it through honest insider trading.
    Anyone who earns that much money are doing it illegal and your IRS or whoever is actually in charge to get this kind of people are to blame if they not getting them.

    And implying that "is normal business" is delusional. This are frauds and should never be given as exemple. 

    But hey! Something tells me that neither you or the other guy will fail to give me exemple and max I will get will be "iF yoU WantZ aNSWers GooGlE It .. man!!!"

    ..right?
    Sure he exaggerated but the site below is rather interesting (if out of date)

    https://ballotpedia.org/Changes_in_Net_Worth_of_U.S._Senators_and_Representatives_(Personal_Gain_Index)


    It's not so much folks that join Congress for 2 terms and make $60M.  It's folks that spend 5 decades in government and are ridiculously wealthy at the end.  This isn't a one party issue.  Both have plenty of bad actors.

    The vast majority of politicians that are in Washington for over a decade are making their money elsewhere.  And yeah, maybe the videogame industry isn't the largest lobbyist but they just have to get the right 3 or 4 people motivated to sink any proposals.  Or tweak them to be neutered.



    ..right! That's your data? Man ! I mean its fine, you guys are Americans, and mostly conspiracy theories. Is fine. Almost all the guys from that list were already pretty or very wealthy before being elected and their increase in wealth has zero evidence that they earned it from lobbying X or Y company or something.

    About folks that spend 5 decades in the government and are ridiculously wealthy at the end, well .. are you serious? I mean of course some have done some shitty illegal things, that's for sure, but I assume the majority increased their wealth based on the experience they got from all this years.

    I mean if you work for 50 years at a company and at the end you are not ridiculously wealthy than when you came at that company, then you clearly did something wrong. I mean at 20 years you barely have any cash, but I assume at 70, you have a house, a car, a dog, a cat, etc right? Isn't that ridiculously wealthy than you were at 20 ?

    Anyway! 

    OK.  Its obvious you are speaking from a lack of understanding about reality in the USA.  
    There are an estimated 100,000 lobbyists in the USA and it is a 4 BILLION dollar industry in the USA..

    https://www.statista.com/statistics/257337/total-lobbying-spending-in-the-us/

    https://www.nbcnews.com/investigations/lobbyists-spent-record-42-billion-2023-federal-lawmakers-rcna135943

    This isn't about having a dog. A car or a cat. (and by the way, the US Gov is NOT a "company" where you are supposed to get wealthy from working there...)

    I suggest you spend some time learning the background of lobbying in the USA.  It's scope.  It's regulation (or lack of).  How INDIRECT lobbying (like the Politicians brother, son, cousin...) is allowed.  How Congress was until very recently unfettered by insider trading (buying or selling stocks based on knowledge and influence related to their positions...)

    I mean, what do you imagine the $4B was spent for?  Do you think people spent $4B on lobbying to NOT influence politicians?

    And as for videogames, like has been said a few times.  It only takes a few well placed "suggestions" to sink a proposal or to tweak it in a way to render it ineffective.

    Heres a figure for Microsoft:
    https://www.opensecrets.org/news/2023/08/lobbying-surges-around-the-largest-merger-in-videogame-industry-history/


    Asm0deusBlueliner

    All time classic  MY NEW FAVORITE POST!  (Keep laying those bricks)

    "I should point out that no other company has shipped out a beta on a disc before this." - Official Mortal Online Lead Community Moderator

    Proudly wearing the Harbinger badge since Dec 23, 2017. 

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  • WargfootWargfoot Member EpicPosts: 1,458
    OK.  Its obvious you are speaking from a lack of understanding about reality in the USA.  
    There are an estimated 100,000 lobbyists in the USA and it is a 4 BILLION dollar industry in the USA..
    It costs money to help people, Slap.

    *poke*

    *poke*

    *poke*
  • Slapshot1188Slapshot1188 Member LegendaryPosts: 17,649
    Wargfoot said:
    OK.  Its obvious you are speaking from a lack of understanding about reality in the USA.  
    There are an estimated 100,000 lobbyists in the USA and it is a 4 BILLION dollar industry in the USA..
    It costs money to help people, Slap.

    *poke*

    *poke*

    *poke*
    Unfortunately the restaurant is full

    *peers behind the maitre d at all the empty tables*
    *slips maitre d a $20*

    Ahh, a table just opened up.  This way Sir...

    All time classic  MY NEW FAVORITE POST!  (Keep laying those bricks)

    "I should point out that no other company has shipped out a beta on a disc before this." - Official Mortal Online Lead Community Moderator

    Proudly wearing the Harbinger badge since Dec 23, 2017. 

    Coined the phrase "Role-Playing a Development Team" January 2018

    "Oddly Slap is the main reason I stay in these forums." - Mystichaze April 9th 2018

  • WargfootWargfoot Member EpicPosts: 1,458
    Unfortunately the restaurant is full

    *peers behind the maitre d at all the empty tables*
    *slips maitre d a $20*

    Ahh, a table just opened up.  This way Sir...

    Hahaha... a $20?
    You eating at Taco Bell?

    :)
    Slapshot1188Asm0deus
  • Slapshot1188Slapshot1188 Member LegendaryPosts: 17,649
    Wargfoot said:
    Unfortunately the restaurant is full

    *peers behind the maitre d at all the empty tables*
    *slips maitre d a $20*

    Ahh, a table just opened up.  This way Sir...

    Hahaha... a $20?
    You eating at Taco Bell?

    :)
    Olive Garden
    WargfootAsm0deus

    All time classic  MY NEW FAVORITE POST!  (Keep laying those bricks)

    "I should point out that no other company has shipped out a beta on a disc before this." - Official Mortal Online Lead Community Moderator

    Proudly wearing the Harbinger badge since Dec 23, 2017. 

    Coined the phrase "Role-Playing a Development Team" January 2018

    "Oddly Slap is the main reason I stay in these forums." - Mystichaze April 9th 2018

  • olepiolepi Member EpicPosts: 3,053
    I'm trying to think of another industry where large corporations sell things to the public that doesn't include regulations about the transaction. Products you buy in the store are typically inspected, taxed, etc. Restaurants, bars, movie houses, car dealerships, retail stores all have inspections, licenses, taxes, certifications, fire safety regulations, food safety regulations. 

    What other multi-billion industry with millions of customers has essentially no regulations at all? 

    ------------
    2024: 47 years on the Net.


  • uriel_mafessuriel_mafess Member UncommonPosts: 258
    edited September 16
    The EU has done such a great job at regulating (and taxing) everything that moves/breaths/blinks in the last 25 years (only region in the world that is poorer adjusted for inflation than in 2000) that I'm 100% confident this will be something to behold and watch closely. . .

    To do the exact opposite.
    Angrakhan said:

    mitech616 said:

    I don't get where this idea of "dark money" owning every single member of government comes from. It's a crazy conspiracy theory, and as a political scientist, we've seen this just isn't true in 90% of situations. Sure, when it comes to massive national products with a complicated position like oil or agriculture there are heavy pressures. But these are OPEN. They're not hidden, and everyone knows each side is pressuring.



    But if you think the gaming or entertainment industries have some "secret cabal" controlling government, your tinfoil hat is on FAR too tight.



    As a political scientist? So what, you're a waiter that watches CNN in your off hours?


    What the hell dude. What a totally free personal attack on a fellow community member that was only giving his opinion. Also woah with the reeking elitism implying that waiters can't have college degrees or any knowledge/experience in other fields? No cool.
  • BrotherMaynardBrotherMaynard Member RarePosts: 647
    Scot said:
    "I mean its fine, you guys are Americans, and mostly conspiracy theories. Is fine."

    Have you got any one of caricatures for Brits for me so we don't feel left out? :D
    You called?

    Scot
  • BluelinerBlueliner Member UncommonPosts: 185
    The EU has done such a great job at regulating (and taxing) everything that moves/breaths/blinks in the last 25 years (only region in the world that is poorer adjusted for inflation than in 2000) that I'm 100% confident this will be something to behold and watch closely. . .


    You aren't the only region that makes less now. I am in the US and adjusted for inflation I make far less than I did in 2020. rough estimate is the cost of living has risen 17% (we get a whopping 2.5% yearly raise where i work
    KyleranSlapshot1188uriel_mafess
  • ScotScot Member LegendaryPosts: 24,423
    edited September 17
    Scot said:
    "I mean its fine, you guys are Americans, and mostly conspiracy theories. Is fine."

    Have you got any one of caricatures for Brits for me so we don't feel left out? :D
    You called?

    Back in the day when comedy was allowed to exist, can you imagine the furore now that there could be anything funny about fat people or excessive drinking?
    BrotherMaynard
  • uriel_mafessuriel_mafess Member UncommonPosts: 258
    edited September 17
    Blueliner said:
    The EU has done such a great job at regulating (and taxing) everything that moves/breaths/blinks in the last 25 years (only region in the world that is poorer adjusted for inflation than in 2000) that I'm 100% confident this will be something to behold and watch closely. . .


    You aren't the only region that makes less now. I am in the US and adjusted for inflation I make far less than I did in 2020. rough estimate is the cost of living has risen 17% (we get a whopping 2.5% yearly raise where i work

    I wrote region for a reason but yeah. North America barely advanced as a whole in the last century quarter. Europe still "wins" tho.

  • SamhaelSamhael Member RarePosts: 1,534

    Dattelis said:


    IceAge said:



    Angrakhan said:


    I will say if micro transactions were to die in a fire I wouldn't miss them. Unfortunately I don't think the US will ban the practice any time soon largely because big companies like Microsoft, Ubisoft, Sony, etc have their little special interest groups that own Congress, so it will never pass.






    Delusional much? Little special interest groups that own Congress? What's next? Groups that owns the world, right?



    Oh how I wish dark money didn't exist and half of Congress wasn't backed by it......



    Man, I think you're pretty optimistic! Only half of Congress... whew.
    Slapshot1188
  • cheyanecheyane Member LegendaryPosts: 9,404
    Scot said:
    Scot said:
    "I mean its fine, you guys are Americans, and mostly conspiracy theories. Is fine."

    Have you got any one of caricatures for Brits for me so we don't feel left out? :D
    You called?

    Back in the day when comedy was allowed to exist, can you imagine the furore now that there could be anything funny about fat people or excessive drinking?
    You can still make jokes like this in the UK. They have not toned down their irreverent humour and most of the comedians there could not give a fk.
    Garrus Signature
  • ScotScot Member LegendaryPosts: 24,423
    edited September 18
    cheyane said:
    You can still make jokes like this in the UK. They have not toned down their irreverent humour and most of the comedians there could not give a fk.
    Perhaps you are thinking of some live performances, you would not get this on TV or cancelling would be on the cards.

    edit: Just realised this is the same thread where I said I was doing my last political post and here we go again. So this has to be my last. :)
  • MmorpgeriusMmorpgerius Member UncommonPosts: 57
    Good.
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