Electronic Art ’s Star Wars Battlefront II , one of the biggest video plot titles of the year , debuted to disasterin recent weeks after both consumer and the gambling pressure revolt against the $ 60 biz ’s reliance on microtransaction - fueled , pay - to - win loot boxes . At launching , the deed of conveyance keep thespian from accessing key lineament of the game like play as Luke Skywalker or Darth Vader without either toilsome grinds or shelling out supererogatory cash to assist bypass itsconfusing national saving .
Crucially , some element of the system of rules like loot box contents were randomized — meaning even players who chose to give EA more money could still walk away frustrated . Last week , the Belgian Gaming Commission reportedlylaunched an investigationinto whether the organisation constituted a violation of gambling natural law .
According toPC GamerandVTM Nieuws , the commission ’s decisiveness is decipherable : It take infix randomized pay - to - winnings scheme into video recording game as equivalent to the “ mix of money and dependence ” and thus a material body of gaming like video recording slot machines . Belgian Minister of Justice Koen Geens added , “ commix gaming and gaming , especially at a vernal years , is unsafe for the mental health of the youngster . ” He noted that Belgium would have to exploit through the European Union ’s procedure to attain a total ban .
This has potentially huge ramification for the video game industry , which has check some of its magnanimous player turn tomilking players for micro - dealings revenueeven after they ’ve shelled out money for the original merchandise . The Belgian opinion does n’t turn to that take directly — consumers would still be allowed to pay for specific bonuses or items — but it does intimate that the trend is starting to become opprobrious enough that regulators are setting point of accumulation to how far it can extend its grimy tentacles . It ’s also probable to be peculiarly embarrassing for EA , which has already seensuch an incredible backlashto Battlefront II ’s model that it ’s in the uncomfortable berth oftanking a flagship Star Wars gamein the middle of a rebooted franchise .
While gamers are notoriously fanatical opponents of government infraction on the diligence , it ’s laborious to see them stay their nose up at this one .
[ PC Gamer ]
Electronic ArtsGamingStar WarsTechnologyVideo game
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