These days we’re starting to see developers introduce loot boxes to their games. Basically these loot boxes contain a variety of items, depending on the game you play. For some this includes additional gear, like weapons, armor, in-game currency, and so on, some of which actually impact gameplay, while some are merely cosmetic.However the question is with the randomness involved in a loot box, does it constitute as gambling? That is currently a topic that is being debated, but over in Belgium, a report from VTM Nieuws (via GameSpot) has revealed that the local authorities are investigating titles such as EA’s Star Wars: Battlefront 2 and Blizzard’s Overwatch to determine if these loot boxes constitutes as gambling.
While Blizzard has yet to comment on the investigation, EA has released a statement which reads, “Creating a fair and fun game experience is of critical importance to EA. The crate mechanics of Star Wars Battlefront II are not gambling. A player’s ability to succeed in the game is not dependent on purchasing crates. Players can also earn crates through playing the game and not spending any money at all. Once obtained, players are always guaranteed to receive content that can be used in game.”
This is probably not what EA wants right now, especially with the various criticisms they are facing over Battlefront 2 in which many players aren’t too happy with the loot box/microtransaction system in place.
Filed in . Read more about Blizzard, EA, Legal, Overwatch and Star Wars.