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Get this lootbox out of my game, Senator Hawley?

Comments

  • KensamaofmariKensamaofmari
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    I believe Nexon does bundling already with its mobile games. I just see them trying to milk this form of gacha dry until there's no more.

    I believe KR regulates games and accounts based off of social security number, a cyber security risk that no other country would like to take.
    The easiest route for NA would be to utilize account information (age) and IP to determine casino regulations, and that the Cash Shop would not display gachapons for children. (And automatically not shown for anyone in Hawaii.)
    Then again, because everything within gachapons have status effects, Nexon could still be served with a take down notice in both UK and US.
    I don't believe Nexon choosing to milk Mabinogi until the death of gachapons would make the KR fans happy if they found out about the situation.

    If anything, Nexon is doomed either way this legislation goes.
    Worst Possibilities:
    A- Lose the fans ("We cannot purchase anything anyways, so who cares?")
    B- Lose the kids (And parent's wallet.)
    C- Lose gachapons (And possibly A, if you're that unprepared.)

    It would have been so much easier if Mabinogi has been modeled with the MS2 model of direct purchase of standalone items.
    Instead, Nexon did this to itself- they never changed, developers never listened, and we've been saying this for years...
    Nexon has to change and/or get rid of the Cash Shop's gachapon model.
    Legislation is coming across the globe, and there's nothing anyone can do about it.

    And all three of those possibilities are good for us, the players.

    ....Never thought I'd be supporting Republican-led legislation, especially in a time with this much polarization in politics.

    Never thought the Republicans of this era were into regulating anything.
    Well, they'll regulate the industries they don't have an interest ($$$) in.
    Darkpixie99PlatinaKoki
  • Darkpixie99Darkpixie99
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    edited December 21, 2019
    Sorry for the late bump, we got more news from the UK, brought to you by Inside Gaming!

  • Darkpixie99Darkpixie99
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    edited December 29, 2019
    Summary of Loot Boxes in 2019, thanks to Inside Gaming.


    As for the Gambling Regulations, here's a page with the whole history of the shindig.
  • Darkpixie99Darkpixie99
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    edited January 19, 2020
    New Year, more news- this time from the NHS (UK).
    nv9GZOuqgnSQ0IRQVUdB2WoPGkuC4n3ElhQ4zmvwrIFZZJIdBBug8WcRCxMjlFEwkEjpNSM=s119


  • Darkpixie99Darkpixie99
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    edited January 24, 2020
    And so the attempts to avoid blame continue... way to go, UK PEGI.
    Not every parental control exists to avoid Lootboxes for children.
    You done bunked yourself into fallout, and probably of the 76 Ace Attorney kind.
    *Disclaimer: Foul language warning
  • Darkpixie99Darkpixie99
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    edited February 12, 2020
    Heheheh.... it's only a surprise lawsuit, EA.


    In all seriousness, Nexon KR needs to be prepared for global loot box fallout.

    Found a news Article
    Epic CEO Tim Sweeney condemns loot boxes, says game companies should 'divorce themselves from politics'
    Epic Games boss Tim Sweeney offered some stinging criticism of loot boxes and "pay-to-win" games during his keynote speech at this year's DICE Summit. As reported by the Hollywood Reporter, Sweeney said that said that the industry needs to move away from a "customer adversarial model" if it wants to maintain the trust of its audience.
    "We have to ask ourselves, as an industry, what we want to be when we grow up? Do we want to be like Las Vegas, with slot machines ... or do we want to be widely respected as creators of products that customers can trust? I think we will see more and more publishers move away from loot boxes," Sweeney said.
    "We should be very reticent of creating an experience where the outcome can be influenced by spending money. Loot boxes play on all the mechanics of gambling except for the ability to get more money out in the end."



    Irish Political Party Fianna Fáil Pushes to Ban Loot Boxes and Gambling in Video Games
    Article
    Irish political party; Fianna Fáil – An Páirtí Poblachtánach urged that Oireachtas (Irish Parliament) take on loot boxes in video games. Fianna Fáil claimed that loot boxes encourage children to gamble. The party pointed out card packs in FIFA for the “Ultimate Team” mode as an egregious offender, although they also targeted additional transactions available in Grand Theft Auto 5 and Call of Duty.
    Fianna Fáil’s Teachta Dála (justice spokesperson) for the Dáil Éireann (lower house of Oireachtas) Jim O’Callaghan spoke to reporters, “There are many games out there like Fortnite that attract children to play on the basis that at the end of their obstacle course or at the end of their game there will be a loot box there and some piece of money available for them.”
    Jim O’Callaghan spoke out that the government tries to protect children from many dangers of life such as tobacco, and to real life gambling. He commented that the nature of gambling has changed from physically going to an establishment where the worst outcome is an adult could loose was a week’s worth of wages to online where players gamble with credit cards and money they may not have. Fianna Fáil and Jim O’Callaghan stated that the system is too easy to access for children as well.
    Fianna Fáil pointed out the loot llamas available for purchase in Fortnite’s “Save the World Mode” as gambling. Epic Games has recently changed loot llamas to display the probabilities of winning certain rewards, though Fianna Fáil still argues that it is gambling and is predatory to children.
    Fianna Fáil stated that tackling gambling and any industries dealing in gambling is a priority for the party. Along with tackling loot boxes, Fianna Fáil intends on banning whistle-to-whistle betting, or in-game betting, which will only allow people to put down bets during the course of a sports game or event, in both esports and traditional sports.
  • GretaGreta
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    This is getting better and better. :D
    Darkpixie99
  • Darkpixie99Darkpixie99
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    Greta wrote: »
    This is getting better and better. :D

    At least Nexon tried out gachapons dropping from Shadow Missions in that one event.
    They are probably more prepared than everyone else.
    26jqb6.jpg
  • GretaGreta
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    edited February 17, 2020
    Man, i want them to make more events such as that. It actually encourages people to do stuff, including me.
    Darkpixie99Wolfsinger
  • Darkpixie99Darkpixie99
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    edited February 17, 2020
    Greta wrote: »
    Man, i want them to make more events such as that. It actually encourages people to do stuff, including me.
    Agreed.

    Meanwhile, the circus continues:




  • Darkpixie99Darkpixie99
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    edited February 28, 2020
    More progress in France, lawyers want to sue EA, coverage by YongYea.
    Hey, hey, Nexon... you might want tread lightly.


    Gambling or Gaming? Australia’s regulatory position on loot boxes in video games
    Article
    Loot boxes under current Australian law

    Gambling in Australia is largely regulated by the states, which each have their own set of gambling laws. For example, in New South Wales, s 5(1)(d) of the Unlawful Gambling Act 1998 (NSW) (“UGA“) provides that ‘any game that involves the disposal of money by lottery or by chance is an unlawful game’. According to Liquor and Gaming NSW, loot boxes which provide items that can only be used within the game itself, or can only be traded amongst players within the game, should not be considered gambling (and therefore not an ‘unlawful game’) pursuant to the UGA.[4] However, if items gained from loot boxes can be traded or sold outside of the game for real world value (e.g. by way of a ‘cash out’ feature) then the game may be considered to be gambling, and therefore an ‘unlawful game’, under the UGA, depending on the individual circumstances.[5]

    The finding of an ‘unlawful game’ under the UGA has potential, wide ranging consequences for both gaming providers and players. For example, anyone who has assisted in organising or conducting an unlawful game may be liable for a fine or a term of imprisonment.[6] Additionally, it is also an offence to participate in an unlawful game.[7]

    In addition to each individual state gaming legislation, the provision of loot boxes may also be regulated by Commonwealth legislation in Australia, under the Interactive Gambling Act 1998 (Cth) (“IGA“). Again, whether loot boxes are considered gambling under the IGA is likely to depend on whether a loot box constitutes a game ‘played for money, or anything else of value’.[8] In the opinion of the Australian Communications and Media Association (“ACMA“), loot boxes which do not have a ‘cash out’ feature are unlikely to be considered gambling in breach of the IGA.[9]


    Progress in Spain
  • KensamaofmariKensamaofmari
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    Ain't nobody got time fo dis.
    Darkpixie99
  • Darkpixie99Darkpixie99
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    edited February 29, 2020
    Ain't nobody got time fo dis.

    Eh, looks like EA is gonna have to make the time for it anyways.

    I mean, really... there are so many memes at this point.
    cWj020B.png
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    saupload_1zxez9.jpg
    9a4.png
    WolfsingerGretaKensamaofmari
  • GretaGreta
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    These memes are god tier.
    Darkpixie99
  • Darkpixie99Darkpixie99
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    edited March 1, 2020
    Greta wrote: »
    These memes are god tier.

    Prepare for more memes in the following launch:


    Did I cover Italy? More legislative progress:

    Article
    Italy: Unpacking Loot Boxes: Gaming Or Gambling?
    What about Italy?
    As many other countries, Italy has not yet developed regulations directly targeting Loot Boxes. However, as discussed above, some commentators are considering the applicability of Article 110 (5) of Royal Decree June 18 , 1931, No. 733 (Testo Unico delle leggi di sicurezza pubblica), which defines as gambling tools "those inherent to betting or that allow purely random winnings of a prize in cash or in kind".

    Moreover, some also push for an explicit extension to Loot Boxes of the legislation that protects minors from developing a gambling attitude (i.e. Article 24(20) of the Law of July 15, 2011, No. 111), which explicitly forbids allowing minors under the age of 18 to participate in public games with cash prizes. In addition, it may be deemed appropriate to impose a specific obligation to provide gamers purchasing Loot Boxes with all the information required by the Italian Consumer Code (Legislative Decree September 6, 2005, No. 206), in order to adequately protect certain (often young) consumers who may not be fully aware of the consequences of their actions.

    In any case, and regardless of the qualification as gambling activities, Loot Boxes might also fall under the scope of Article 1 of Legislative Decree April 14, 1948, No. 496, which reserves to the State the organization and exercise of games for which "a reward of any kind" is paid and in which the participation requires a payment in cash.
  • KensamaofmariKensamaofmari
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    Greta wrote: »
    These memes are god tier.

    It should be a term. Let's call it memeology.
    Darkpixie99
  • Darkpixie99Darkpixie99
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    edited April 21, 2020
    I found an article that may give clues as to why Mabinogi was removed from the ESRB website. (From last time I checked.)

    ESRB introduces a new label to indicate that a game has loot boxes
    "The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB), which is the organization that rates the content of video games, announced a new label today to indicate that a game will offer in-game purchases of loot boxes or similar types of items that provide a player with randomized rewards.
    “This new Interactive Element, In-Game Purchases (Includes Random Items), will be assigned to any game that contains in-game offers to purchase digital goods or premiums with real world currency (or with virtual coins or other forms of in-game currency that can be purchased with real world currency) for which the player doesn’t know prior to purchase the specific digital goods or premiums they will be receiving (e.g., loot boxes, item packs, mystery awards),” according to the ESRB. The label will be applied to “loot boxes, gacha games, item or card packs, prize wheels, treasure chests, and more,” the organization said.
    "

    Doubling Down on Loot Boxes
    Podcast Article

    Loot Boxes: The Legal Gambling Loophole for Kids
    Article
    "As long as we have a legal loophole that allows children to gamble with real money in video games, there's no valid defense for loot boxes."

    Loot Boxes: PEGI introduces paid random items notification system
    Article
    "Despite arguing that they do not consider loot boxes to be gambling, PEGI’s American counterpart, the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB), also announced on the that they would be introducing a new rating label which would serve the same purpose as the one announced by the European regulator. In both cases, the rating would be applied to games which allow purchases for unknown items. The entity believes that this would make the consumer have a more informed opinion of the game before purchasing."

    Mobile Gaming Trends App Developers Should Consider in 2020
    Article
    "It won’t be the end of microtransactions though. People will still be able to buy more lives, tokens, coins, chips, weapons, character upgrades and maps."
  • WolfsingerWolfsinger
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    Brings in some thoughts, but I doubt microtransactions would EVER end, considering just how things are going.
    Those are just things in games, and devs gotta make money somehow.
    Darkpixie99
  • KensamaofmariKensamaofmari
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    edited April 22, 2020
    Wolfsinger wrote: »
    Brings in some thoughts, but I doubt microtransactions would EVER end, considering just how things are going.
    Those are just things in games, and devs gotta make money somehow.

    Like I said before, they will either adapt to new rules and regulations and survive, and those who can't will drop out the market.
    In a way, we could end up worse than before because this is how monopolies are created, through the process of natural selection.
    WolfsingerSherriDarkpixie99
  • Darkpixie99Darkpixie99
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    edited April 25, 2020
    Wolfsinger wrote: »
    Brings in some thoughts, but I doubt microtransactions would EVER end, considering just how things are going.
    Those are just things in games, and devs gotta make money somehow.

    Like I said before, they will either adapt to new rules and regulations and survive, and those who can't will drop out the market.
    In a way, we could end up worse than before because this is how monopolies are created, through the process of natural selection.

    Comic book industry is already back in the gutter, thanks to a certain global situation.
    I don't doubt that video games will be next, unless you're Fortnite or Blizzard.
    (Or have a "Zombie Day" plan, that would get you by too.)