Gaming, especially the mobile variety, has gotten a little out of hand – especially when it comes to making money. Loot boxes have been one of the most profitable ways modern games make their money, as they are more often than not free to play. This would be all fine and dandy if only the typical victims of this “gambling scheme” weren’t children, something the UK isn’t going to let slide any further.
One of the main appeals of loot boxes is that you can obtain coveted items that would either enhance your arsenal or your character’s appearance. More often than not, they have different rarities, with each being more desirable than the last. However, if you want better chances of getting the loot you want, you’re going to have to shell out some cash.
So what’s the big deal? Well, loot boxes have been in the sights of governments such as Belgium’s, which view them as a gateway to gambling for kids and are moving to ban them. The United Kingdom Interactive Entertainment (UKIE), the trade association for UK games companies, released new guidelines on how game developers should handle their loot box drop rates.
In a recent press release by the UKIE, they listed down the things they want to see in video games with a loot box system moving forward. The guideline that stands out the most is number five, which outlines that games must disclose to the public the probability of getting what they want in their luck-based games.
Though some developers are fine with this, one of the companies that felt like it was directly targeted was Niantic, the developers of the 2016 mobile game Pokemon GO. Since its release a few years ago, Niantic has implemented a lot of systems that have improved the game and the experience for players – one of which is the addition of “shiny” Pokemon, the highly coveted alternate versions of standard Pokemon. There are different ways you can get shiny Pokemon – either through special events, raids, or hatching eggs.
The reason why Niantic is seemingly being targeted is the fact that they experienced explosive growth, both in player size and revenue, because of the additions they made. However, they have kept the specific drop rates a secret from the public, and the UKIE will not stand for this.
You may be reading this and wondering, “But Pokemon are completely different from loot boxes; why are they involved?” Well, loot boxes are defined as “a video game mechanic that provides random in-game virtual items to players in exchange for real-world money or in-game virtual currency. This document does not apply to a loot box that is purely earned through gameplay.” So, in Pokemon GO, you can get lucky when it comes to hatching eggs and winning raids, but you still need money to buy egg incubators or raid passes in the game.
Niantic also holds special paid events such as “GO Fest,” where players can pay a sizable sum and get exclusive items and Pokemon that players can only dream of. However, Pokemon seen in the wild that are outside of a paid event don’t count, allowing Niantic to keep the rates for those a secret.
Niantic and other developers have been given 12 months to comply with the demands, or the government will take bolder action and start writing laws to regulate the issue. However, Niantic also has other options besides simply complying. They can either exploit some loopholes in the regulations or leave the UK altogether. Though the probability of choosing the last two options is low, that doesn’t mean they are zero, and only time will tell what happens next.
Source: Dextero, Reddit, BBC, Ukie [1], [2], Future Game Releases
Image source: Wikimedia Commons [1], [2], [3], Pixabay, Ukie
