Legislation Introduced in the USA to Ban Loot Boxes & Pay to Win Microtransactions

UrQuan · May 2019

Other countries have taken steps against loot boxes (some banning them outright, and others taking softer approaches), and now a bill is being introduced in the USA as well to address them:
https://www.hawley.senate.gov/senator-hawley-introduce-legislation-banning-manipulative-video-game-features-aimed-children
I don't expect this will really impact ESO much, as last I checked ESO is rated 18+, and when it comes to loot boxes the bill seems to be aimed at protecting minors, but if the bill passes they may need to put some additional controls in place to prevent kids playing with their parents' permission from buying crown crates.

I was particularly interested to read about the part of the bill aimed at pay to win microtransactions, but I don't think that piece would have much of an impact on ESO either, aside from giving ZOS a legal incentive to not push the envelope with convenience items and be extra careful about possibly crossing from convenience to pay to win.

ZarkingFrued · May 2019

Ok. Let us know if it passes lol

DirkRavenclaw · May 2019

Simple, if this Ban gets throught, ZOS has to return to a Subscription Model. Be carefull what you wish for

UrQuan · May 2019

Well the bill was just announced today and first hit the media a couple of hours ago, so it'll be a while before we know if it's actually going to go anywhere. Reading through the senator's web page and the linked one-pager about the bill, though, it seems like he understands the industry and the problematic monetization practices that are out there, so I'll be very interested to see what happens with this. There are right and wrong ways to do monetization, and it looks like this bill is very specifically targeting the wrong ways.

Critics have been telling the video game industry for years that if they don't appropriately self-regulate things like this, then they're going to have regulations forced on them. Let's see if this passes.

Blackwing_Soul · May 2019

I am already paying for ESO+ /shrug

UrQuan · May 2019

No, it doesn't look like that at all. Did you read the link? It's specifically talking about gambling mechanics in games aimed at children (ie. under 18, which doesn't apply to ESO), and at pay to win microtransactions (which also doesn't really apply to ESO).
At most ZOS might have to introduce some system to ensure that parents can restrict crown crate purchases on their kids' accounts if they've let their kid play this game that's rated 18+

YaYaPineapple · May 2019

A teeny fraction of bills that get introduced ever even get voted on. Even fewer pass. Fewer than that pass both houses and become law. Just sayin. We'll see what happens,

Ackwalan · May 2019

How much revenue is needed to keep a game online? There was a time when loot boxes were not a thing, it was around the time when the subscription model was the norm. People that hate loot boxes might be less pleased with the replacement.

Oreyn_Bearclaw · May 2019

I remember calling my congressmen about loot boxes a few years back. They had no idea they even existed or what I was talking about.

rotaugen454 · May 2019

I pay for the sub and have since the game started. However, I don’t want it to be mandatory, as I believe population levels would plummet.

HowlKimchi · May 2019

Interested to know more so im commenting to get notifications. xD

Onefrkncrzypope · May 2019

It would cripple many f2p games like Apex and fortnight.. Also those boxes on a small scale can help pay for Indi games. It's a slippery slope honestly. Let's hope our government leaders understand balance.............................................................. F*ck

cheifsoap · May 2019

You should probably understand the legislation before assuming that. iirc - this bill won't apply to games properly labeling themselves as "M" games.

cheifsoap · May 2019

Bottomline, the writing is on the wall. Either the ZOS business people act ahead of time to minimize financial impact or they live denial and be "shocked" when it inevitably occurs. If not this bill, it'll be another one.

Skwor · May 2019

No they won't
Read the legislation. It will have absolutly 0 impact on ESO.

This thread is just another nothing burger in the concern trolls concern.

Ankael07 · May 2019

Eso has been doing fine without crates for years so I doubt that. Even if they remove crates themselves they'll just sell its contents individually without exploiting people's gambling addiction

Skwor · May 2019

Again actually read it. It has 0 impact on ESO and even its intent is outside of anything ESO does with loot crates.

So much self righteous indignation ugh. ..

SomeDogsAreCops · May 2019

Good.

Tandor · May 2019

It depends very much on the way in which any legislation defines the lootboxes it regulates or bans. ESO differs from many games in that there is ingame value in every box, even if some players regard the standard content as trash. That distinguishes it from the standard form of gambling where you either win or lose.

As for the implications if crates were to be prohibited altogether, I don't think it would lead to a return to subscription-only status for ESO, or to all F2P/B2P titles if lootboxes generally were prohibited. It might well lead to an increase in subscription prices, which are still set at no more than they were 20 years ago, probably softened in the case of ESO by increased benefits to subscribers (which could also be seen as increased penalties to non-subscribers). However, it would lead to substantial increases in the monetisation of games generally, and ESO's introduction of the unlocking of skyshards and guild skill lines through the Crown Store is in my view without doubt an indication of ZOS testing the water in that respect with their intentions all too clear. Many games would also go increasingly P2W although the track record of ZOS in that respect is commendable even if there is a lamentable failure on the part of some ESO players to have the first idea what P2W actually is.

The demonisation of lootboxes is a clear indication of where gaming is going in the future, and players opposed to other people exercising free choice in the purchase of lootboxes especially in adult-rated games should indeed be careful what they wish for, just as those who lobbied for everything to be made account-wide should also be careful what they wish for because they'll only end up complaining about the cost of that being delivered through the Crown Store when there was never any realistic prospect of it being delivered in any other way.

Ardaghion · May 2019

Laws in the US are always open to interpretation, so no one can state with certainty if this will impact ESO or not. The interpretation would be up to the FTC or State Attorneys General. The linked article refers to an intention to introduce, the bill may not have been submitted yet and it will require support as well as a majority in the House and Senate.

That being said, the way I read the proposal, ESO isn't targeted at under 18 players. It is allowable for 13 and up to create an account and play so ZOS could be impacted by the "knowingly allow minor players to engage in microtransactions" part. That could mean the end of random Crown Crates. It would be up to FTC interpretation as to whether any part of the Crown Store is pay-to-win, since that is the other major action of the proposed bill.

So, my IANAL interpretation is that the only impact to ZOS/ESO would be that Crown Crates would no longer be allowed to be random or they would have to limit access to 18 and up.

Facefister · May 2019

And this is bad why? I really wish back the p2p model since it produces much better content than b2p+shop.

Rain_Greyraven · May 2019

Cheap political stunt that won't work, no matter how much the "Muh free stuffs" crowd wishes otherwise. Zenimax is owned by attorneys, and legislation (not that any could) that would pass could get loopholed around .

Snow mans chance in hell, is what it is.

Kajuratus · May 2019

Hahaaa, wonderful. I mean its unlikely that this will get through, and tbh it probably won't affect this game too much, but its always good to see loot boxes get some fire from a government. And before anyone tries to say "well ESO needs loot boxes or the game would be unprofitable" you got a source for that? You sure its not corporate greed wanting more money from the playerbase, since theres always more money to be made? Remember theres always more players to be turned into payers. And just so you know, any profits from lootboxes don't go back into this game. It goes into Bethesda Softworks pocket.

Siohwenoeht · May 2019

Living in the state he "represents", I would not trust his intentions are aimed at protecting anything other than big business interests.

Feric51 · May 2019

Haven't even loaded Apex Legends to my console, but from what I've watched my son do, and stuff I've bought for him on Fortnite, it was mostly direct purchases and not loot boxes. Maybe they've introduced them recently, but I don't think loot boxes are currently a huge driving force for that game anyway.

Lumenn · May 2019

While I don't see this affecting ESO any I hope it's a foot in the door. I personally would like to see loot boxes/microtransactions die a fast, and horrible death. Too many companies putting out trash just to make profit off microtransactions and thinking they did good. And unfortunately too many of us pay it so I guess they really are winning. /shrug

Cundu_Ertur · May 2019

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFroMQlKiag

xenowarrior92eb17_ESO · May 2019

what does it mean if it passes? NA gets free from loot boxes finally? but what about the rest of us?...u know...the poor children from the EU?

srfrogg23 · May 2019

Already a subscriber.

Bouldercleave · May 2019

Based on our current quality of administration, we should be able to see meaningful change in the US in about 26 years.

Casdha · May 2019

Actually this directly follows the part you are talking about

So yes this would mean Crown crates and possibly new more powerful classes who have designed advantages.

Edit: quote from The Washington Post article.