Video Games have a Loot Box Fetish, and it's Starting to Harm the Way we Play

This year, seven major titles which explicitly use loot boxes as part of their in-game economies: Middle-earth: Shadow of War, Mass Effect: Andromeda, Injustice 2, Lawbreakers, Forza Motorsport 7, For Honor, and the Star Wars Battlefront 2 beta. Let's not forget, too, that Destiny 2's Bright Engrams and FIFA 18's Card Packs are essentially the same gimmick wrapped up in passably different clothing. That's seven different genres, all strung up by a gambling-oriented system of microtransactions that, until a few years ago, was relegated to the realm of the free-to-play mobile market. So what's going on?

In short, it’s an inevitable evolution of a culture which has dominated the business of the AAA industry for years. After so many episodes of controversy surrounding overt pay-to-win mechanics and shamelessly overpriced microtransactions, the loot box is the publisher's way of dressing up monetisation in more palatable packaging.

[DJStotty]

This is why i game by 1 rule :-

Free-to-play - i will spend real money on in game currency to support the creators if i like the game.

Cash purchase - I will not spend real money on in game boxes crates, whatever the game. If they want me to spend real money, make your game like the above, and stop milking consumers.

[Perjoss]

It's probably too late now but we can still try and vote with our wallets and pray this is just a phase, or at the very least doesn't get even worse.

[OC_MurphysLaw]

well...I believe gamers are also to blame here as collectively we have taken to loot boxes like ducks to water. Gamers seem to embrace them regardless of how much we see people complaining about them. Companies would use this mechanic if gamers weren't buying into it. just my two cents.

[EatCrow]

Nope. Put the blame where it belongs. Those that support that kind of thing.

[HyperMouse]

Same as porn or poker machines addicts i guess, its all the johns and gamblers fault

[gangsta_red]

I have to say, I continue(d) to play Overwatch and Injustice 2 because I was collecting loot boxes just to see what I could get next.

There's something special about getting one new item randomly after getting 10,000,000,000 duplicates.

[EatCrow]

Yea but you need not pay. it doesnt affect your experience or somehow put you at a disadvantage if you dont pay for them.

Thats a big difference. In that regard earning lootboxes is like leveling up.

[gangsta_red]

Yea, I never meant otherwise. I was just commenting on my experiences with the lootbox craze

[yeahokwhatever]

Take it from someone who knows from within, the problem is the effect of 2 things:
1. "Game Designers" and "Producers" from failed mobile/facebook games are getting hired in major game studios now. These people notoriously don't understand how to make a game "fun".
2. Game Designers and Producers have become lazy. It's really hard and takes lots of patience to make a good feedback loop built into the gameplay itself, much easier to literally give player scratcher cards. The monetization and in-game economies can be easily manipulated or adjusted if their confined to systems like loot crates, skill trees, etc.

[EatCrow]

Im glad there are finally more articles about this....shame on all who didnt think it could get worse.

[GamingCentaur]

Fetish lol

[PhoenixUp]

Starting?

[PatriotOfIron]

ITs going to get worse trust me

[BenjaMan64]

Hey! Thanks for reminding me to play Overwatch, the Halloween 2017 event is on! I also remember that I purchased 50 Halloween 2016 boxes last year, then 50 New Year loot boxes, 50 Uprising loot boxes and then 50 Anniversary loot boxes on each event! I wonder how many loot boxes I'll buy for this Overwatch event.

I'm so engrossed playing Shadow of War, I may not have much time to play Overwatch this month. Yep, I'll surely buy more loot boxes for this Halloween event.