Square Enix Pulls Three Games From Belgium After Loot Box Ban (theguardian.com)

The games publisher Square Enix is pulling three mobile games from Belgium following the introduction of a law in the European nation that bans "loot boxes" as a form of gambling. From a report: The games -- "Mobius Final Fantasy", "Kingdom Hearts Union X" and "Dissidia Final Fantasy Opera Omnia" -- are some of largest titles in the publisher's mobile roster, although it is better known for its console games such as "Tomb Raider", "Final Fantasy" and "Hitman." In statements posted in the games, Square Enix confirmed that the new law was to blame for their removal, citing "the present uncertain legal status of 'loot boxes' under Belgian law". Belgium first took action against "loot boxes", digital reward packs which can be bought with real or virtual money and contain a semi-random array of in-game items, back in April. The country's gaming commission ruled that the mechanics, as implemented in three popular games -- "Overwatch", "Fifa 18" and "Counter-Strike: Global Offensive" -- were in violation of gambling legislation.

Comments

Gambling is regulated for a very good reason

[rsilvergun]

lots of folks find it very, very addicting. That's why it's being used in games.

The trouble here is the games industry is refusing to self regulate. And who can blame them? They're making not just billions, but tens of billions. Activision and EA have collectively increased their market cap by $70 billion. Like it or not, loot boxes work. And they work because _gambling_ works. It's not as though the effects of gambling aren't well researched either.

At this point I think the game makers know what they're doing is wrong and that they're going to have to stop. They're just going to make as much money as they can before the ban hammer comes down. In the meantime it kinda sucks to be a gamer if you want new games, since they're stuffed full of crap that's meant to manipulate me. I'm old enough to see right through that crap so it's ruins the escapism for me. It drags me right back to the real world like a bad product placement.

Re:Gambling is regulated for a very good reason

[Ol Olsoc]

The trouble here is the games industry is refusing to self regulate. And who can blame them? They're making not just billions, but tens of billions. Activision and EA have collectively increased their market cap by $70 billion. Like it or not, loot boxes work. And they work because _gambling_ works. It's not as though the effects of gambling aren't well researched either.

Look - I understand gambling, and I think those who do it regularly are idiots. But for my money, it isn't a mental illness.

Does the EU not have stock markets? That is gambling, and there are people who are addicted to that, and people who lose everything.

At this point I think the game makers know what they're doing is wrong and that they're going to have to stop.

I wonder if Candy Crush is next on the hit list?

And if the EU is nannying it's citizens, why not ban gambling in all th eplaces that have casinos in the EU - I'd bet my life that those Casinos have ruiuned many more lives than loot boxes.

Or Candy Crush.

Nothing Of Value Was Lost

[Anonymous Coward]

All games with loot boxes or micro transactions should be banned. Why people play this shit is beyond me.

Re:God Bless the EU

[pahles]

You know this is about Belgium, not the EU?

Re:God Bless the EU

[Anonymous Coward]

I'm not saying the EU is a Nanny State....

But it's a Nanny State.

Is there a Ministry of Protection from Games yet?

I really hate this kind of bullshit on slashdot, the reality is games are still largely targetted towards kids and teens who's brains aren't developed. Maybe you want to raise a generation of gambling addicts but I don't.

Re: Arcade games

[Anonymous Coward]

You paid 25 cent to play a game. Now you are paying $1-$10 for an ITEM in a game YOU already paid for.

Apples and oranges.

Well shit

[OrangeTide]

I guess they'll have to go back to making normal games.

Re:God Bless the EU

[Ol Olsoc]

Slashdot Neckbeards need to figure out what they want.

You and probably some of the libertarian/alt-right/randroid/all-government-is-collectivism types say:

"Nanny State"

Wowsers! Never been called Alt-Right before. Why dropping to insults, as you're going to see when you read lower.

Then someone else says:

"Loot boxes and microtransactions are anti-consumer and EVIL and should be banned"

Right off, your concept of "everyone must think the same is a little disturbing. No, they don't, and there is no reason that they should.

Besides, you can't run countries with millions of people like some tiny village with a few selectmen, you need strong central governments because too many are working cross-purposes and causing harm to the nation as a whole.

It makes me exceptionally nervous when I see Europeans start talking about strong central governments. This trait pops up every once in a while, and the results are usually pretty bad.

Re:God Bless the EU

[AnonyMouseCowWard]

What's wrong with that? Belgium (and the EU in general, though this is Belgium only for now) believes loot boxes are detrimental to their population, especially the young people targeted by that business model. It's a model that can have massive (negative) financial impacts on the individual, and fosters addiction. Now, you may not believe that about loot boxes, and that's your right, but the Belgian government does, and as a self-respecting government thinking about doing the best for its population, it decided to act.

It's not that different from banning drugs, or having regulations around gambling, or laws against underage drinking, or a TSA agent that prevents me from carrying a pocket knife, except in this case your personal freedom isn't even infringed. A government that cares about its population legislates in order to prevent for-profit, private entities to do what they want to the detriment of the people. If you call that a nanny state... fine? Does it really go against your freedom? No, it's about mandating corporations to do the right thing. Heck, what's the alternative, a Wild West where the government does nothing, and corporations can do what they want?

You don't understand gambling

[rsilvergun]

if you think people who do it regularly are idiots. Gambling takes advantage of several well known psychological quirks of the human mind to manipulate already vulnerable people.

This isn't nannying. It's recognizing a vulnerable minority and taking steps to protect them. You might just as well say consumer protection laws are nannying.

Lastly, video games are Casinos now. The lootboxes are the slots and poker tables. It's like how Uber is really a taxi cab service. You call a spade a spade and gambling gambling. The only reason loot boxes haven't ruined more lives is the game companies are holding back just a bit. They're only doing that under threat of regulation.

Re:You don't understand gambling

[Ol Olsoc]

if you think people who do it regularly are idiots. Gambling takes advantage of several well known psychological quirks of the human mind to manipulate already vulnerable people.

Once upon a time, I was a smoker. 3 plus packs a day. I was as addicted as you get. I was an idiot. I realized the expense and the health hazard. So I quit.

This isn't nannying. It's recognizing a vulnerable minority and taking steps to protect them. You might just as well say consumer proatection laws are nannying.

Except consumer protection laws are not nannying.They are ensuring quality ans safety. Enough with the slippery sloping me into being an anarchist.

One thing that the USA can speak with authority on is exactly what happens when you ban things. What that thing is, the creation of a very lucrative source of money for organized crime. Prohibition of alcohol empowered Organized crime to heights that never would have happened otherwise. Gambling as well. And lest we forget, there is a quote, attributed to William F Buckley, the famed conservative intellectual IIRC that went:

Marijuana laws have destroyed many more lives than marijuana ever did.

So despite your claims in your subject line, You might be surprised to learn that a person who is prone to gambling addiction, because of genetics, is going to develop that addiction no matter if you ban lootboxes, make all gambling illegal, start a US style armed war on Gambling, and send people to prison.

Re:God Bless the EU

[CronoCloud]

I didn't call YOU alt-right, I'm saying that because you are crying "Nanny State", you're falling into the trap of doing the same anti-government all-government-is-collectivism shit that the usual alt-right/randroid suspects do.

Right off, your concept of "everyone must think the same is a little disturbing. No, they don't, and there is no reason that they should.

I didn't say everyone needs to think the same. What I'm saying is that WE as citizens have to decide what we want to do about this. We can't have it both ways.

It makes me exceptionally nervous when I see Europeans start talking about strong central governments. This trait pops up every once in a while, and the results are usually pretty bad.

I'm in the US and Nazi Germany wasn't all of Europe. Neither was the old Soviet Union. Both are gone. And the UK, France, Spain, Denmark, Belgium, Netherlands, etc have strong central governments.

Strong central governments aren't a negative. In the Real World we need such things to do things that people want governments to do. A strong central government put men on the moon. A strong central government created the internet. Money from strong central governments wiped out smallpox.

And a strong central government is the ONLY thing that really has any chance at all of putting megacorps to heel.