EA thinks loot boxes aren't loot boxes, but 'surprise mechanics' and are 'quite ethical' and 'aren't gambling'

[RobinHood]

lol, what a crock of shite. This is at some kind of hearing in the UK.

 

[RobinHood]

 

[Shifty]

So you're spending money on something that has multiple possible results, but you don't know the end 'winner' until you buy it...kinda sounds like gambling to me

 

[RobinHood]

That's because it is! They really need to publish the odds of winning when buying and activiting these kind of in game so people know what they're buying into. Seems very similar to video slot machines that are of course considered gambling and therefore quite tightly regulated.

 

[Shifty]

It sounds like EA and Epic got torn a new one which i lolled a lot at

 

[RobinHood]

Weirdly it's not considering gambling in the UK as

In the UK, loot boxes are not considered gambling if items found in them can also be unlocked by players through playing the game.

However

"Sometimes the odds will be something like 0.001% and it's important people realise how attainable each item is," he says.

EA games: Loot boxes aren't gambling, they're just like a Kinder Egg

A spokesperson for the company says the system is "quite ethical" and something gamers enjoy.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Shifty]