When Epic Games bought out Rocket League earlier this year, fans were concerned as to the future of the huge eSports title. It was originally reported that Epic would stop selling Rocket League on Steam, but after major backlash, the company then walked back the decision, calling it a mistake in communication. That left the soccer-car game in a bit of limbo, as ownership shifted over to Epic. Now, after a few months of silence, Epic is about to change a fairly huge part of Rocket League: the lootboxes. While Rocket League has never directly come under fire for its lootboxes--called "crates"--the topic as a whole has been an issue, both within the gaming industry, and the legal one.

In an incredibly brief announcement, Epic Games and Psyonix have stated that as dedication to "creating the best possible experience for our players all over the world", they would be removing all paid randomized crates from Rocket League, and instead implementing a system more akin to Epic's Fortnite Save the World Llama store. Rocket Pass Premium, DLC, and eSports items won't be affected by this change, but after this change takes place, you will no longer receive the various different crates which require real-world money to open, in hopes of getting a randomized rare cosmetic item.

Epic Games did not further elaborate on what exactly these changes will be made, promising more information and details as to how this will be implemented in the future.

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[Captain_N]

how about getting the content by actually being good. Like getting a 100 win streak gets you some cool stuff for free.

 

[Deleted User]

how about getting the content by actually being good. Like getting a 100 win streak gets you some cool stuff for free.

Ahem, it's not about the customer's you silly fool!
It's about the survival of the company! People die and noobs go bankrupt but Epic remains forever. Never forsake the Epic! Long live Epic Games!!!

although i like unreal tournament from the 90's

 

[NeoSlyde]

Ahem, it's not about the customer's you silly fool!
It's about the survival of the company! People die and noobs go bankrupt but Epic remains forever. Never forsake the Epic! Long live Epic Games!!!

although i like unreal tournament from the 90's

Well in Fortnite.
There is some pretty cool stuff/cosmetics that are given for free on some events.

Not to forget the special seasonal umbrella you get for getting a victory royale.

But hey! Let’s be a normie and hop in the trend of blind hating Fortnite

 

[Deleted User]

Well in Fortnite.
There is some pretty cool stuff/cosmetics that are given for free on some events.

Not to forget the special seasonal umbrella you get for getting a victory royale.

But hey! Let’s be a normie and hop in the trend of blind hating Fortnite

I actually think Fortnite is an amazing game, in that it's core mechanics arent pay-to-win.
I also like how creative it is with the building/destroying of the environment.

It's like a combination of Quake 3 (without crazy hopping physics, sadly) and Minecraft.
It's just freaking annoying with all the dancing and then the energizer bunny and Monopoly man flossing commercials.

 

[DBlaze]

What a save!
What a save!
What a save!

 

[Arras]

Ironically, I'm pretty sure that mobile gamed DO have to disclose rates. At least they do if they want to be on the Apple app store. I can't recall if Google has any requirements for their Play Store. I guess AAA games could actually stand to take a lesson from mobile games for once.

I believe it's law in some Asian countries that gacha rates have to be disclosed, so it's likely just a side effect of that.

 

[Voyambar]

Imagine buying a game, not signing up for anything, playing it with friends online and then going on vacation and still being able to play it with bots, even though you're on a beach with no Wifi.
Golden days are dead now, apparently.

Also imagine going to the secret area of the map to get the best weapon and then OP'ing everybody for five seconds until they all turn on you and kill you, without buying some crap in a store

In what universe did that ever happen in

 

[Deleted User]

In what universe did that ever happen in

1999

 

[Voyambar]

1999

Ah the golden age...I do remember that

 

[Deleted User]

Ah the golden age...I do remember that

Sadly I wasn't around then...
My dad's the reason why I know anything about these older games

 

[ChaosEternal]

I believe it's law in some Asian countries that gacha rates have to be disclosed, so it's likely just a side effect of that.

I think you're right. I believe China has a law like that. Japan doesn't iirc, but all the major gacha companies have an agreement to display rates (among other things.)

 

[DarthDub]

Ah good now instead of paying someone $5 for the item they looted from a crate I can instead pay Epic $40 on the 4th of May 2021 and if I miss it, try again June 16th 2062.

This is likely entirely monetary and has little to do with PR or lootboxes being "bad". Epic basically invented a new predatory market practice, or at least molded it to fit into gaming. Artificial scarcity. The idea of a rotating storefront is to sell cosmetics at a rate significantly above what you'd normally get away with, yet still get acceptable or above sales because the idea that this cool item you really really want may not show up again for a long time is very enticing and preys upon yet another weakness people tend to have with shopping, which is why sales are so prolific in most of our consumer lives.
Ironically this is a practice that really hits kids because they see that timer going down and ohmygosh it's so cool I want it mom please it'll never show up again please please!!

I'd take loot boxes any day of the week. A smart consumer could easily get whatever they want for cheap without ever touching a lootbox. Now there is absolutely no way to be smart. Really looking after the little guy, thanks Epic.

Good grief, you're the only sane person in this thread. 100% agree

 

[MikaDubbz]

Good, Rocket League is a fantastic game where my only complaint about it is that it contains loot boxes. However, due to all the unlockables in the game being cosmetic only, I was always dismissive of the issue, I don't like it's existence, but it didn't have any real bearing on playing the game and competing and as such I was ok with it existing. This though sounds like a move in the right direction.