After becoming the subject of controversy last week, the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) is attempting to win back favor with the industry with the announcement of a new regulation policy that will affect all games on all three major console platforms. Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft will now be required to disclose the odds of paid microtransaction lootbox drops for future games releasing on their systems. Other publishers have also agreed to the new policy, such as Activision Blizzard, Bandai Namco, Bethesda, Bungie, Electronic Arts, Take-Two, Ubisoft, W.B. Interactive, and Wizards of the Coast. All of the aforementioned companies must adhere to disclosing the probability of all their lootboxes by the end of 2020. Any new game, or any update that adds in-game purchases will now have to allow for players to see the percentage of rare item drops when opening a lootbox with real-world currency.

In addition, several of ESA’s publisher members already disclose the relative rarity or probability of obtaining in-game virtual items from purchased loot boxes, and other major publishers have agreed to do so no later than the end of 2020. Together, these publishers include Activision Blizzard, BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment, Bethesda, Bungie, Electronic Arts, Microsoft, Nintendo, Sony Interactive Entertainment, Take-Two Interactive, Ubisoft, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, and Wizards of the Coast. Many other ESA members are considering a disclosure. The disclosure will apply to all new games and updates to games that add such in-game purchases and will be presented in a manner that is understandable and easily accessed.In addition, several of ESA’s publisher members already disclose the relative rarity or probability of obtaining in-game virtual items from purchased loot boxes, and other major publishers have agreed to do so no later than the end of 2020. Together, these publishers include Activision Blizzard, BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment, Bethesda, Bungie, Electronic Arts, Microsoft, Nintendo, Sony Interactive Entertainment, Take-Two Interactive, Ubisoft, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, and Wizards of the Coast. Many other ESA members are considering a disclosure. The disclosure will apply to all new games and updates to games that add such in-game purchases and will be presented in a manner that is understandable and easily accessed.

Source

 

[Chrisssj2]

Sorry but how do we know even if the odds displayed are true... any critical thinking going on here?

 

[Jiehfeng]

Sorry but how do we know even if the odds displayed are true... any critical thinking going on here?

If you mean technically how, the lootbox is coded by % chance I assume, so just publish that info. Rocket league did it last year iirc.

If you mean faking it, doing so would be risky and I don't think a company would take such a risk, but then EA on the other hand...

 

[Chrisssj2]

If you mean technically how, the lootbox is coded by % chance I assume, so just publish that info. Rocket league did it last year iirc.

If you mean faking it, doing so would be risky and I don't think a company would take such a risk, but then EA on the other hand...

Well lets say company claims 5% drop rate but in actuallity it is 3% or whatever.
Or whatever differeince. Humongous or not. How would we be able to tell the diffrence.. RNG = RNG.

 

[DANTENDO]

Sorry but how do we know even if the odds displayed are true... any critical thinking going on here?

As soon as you think Yr getting mugged then stop

 

[NoNAND]

Lootboxes
thankfully I play single plaer offline game, so they haven't affected Mt gaming experience that much.
But I'd wish they never existed still.

 

[Jiehfeng]

Well lets say company claims 5% drop rate but in actuallity it is 3% or whatever.
Or whatever differeince. Humongous or not. How would we be able to tell the diffrence.. RNG = RNG.

Good point. The only accurate way to tell is to look at the coding, but I have no idea how these things are coded, so I assume you just write a line saying "x should be 5/100".

For example Zelda Botw and the amiibo drop rates were datamined, so you know it's accurate. So I assume datamining is the only way for a gamer to truly know.

 

[HRudyPlayZ]

Microtransactions as a all should just be banned everywhere...

They just ruin your experience by putting big buttons to buy shit...

Also, my moral recommend me to pirate every game with microtransactions, i would recommend everyone to do the same, as those companies don't deserve our money with shit like this...

 

[Chrisssj2]

Good point. The only accurate way to tell is to look at the coding, but I have no idea how these things are coded, so I assume you just write a line saying "x should be 5/100".

For example Zelda Botw and the amiibo drop rates were datamined, so you know it's accurate. So I assume datamining is the only way for a gamer to truly know.

They could even implement fake code. to make you think the drop rates are something, that they are not. Thin foil hat.

 

[Jiehfeng]

They could even implement fake code. to make you think the drop rates are something, that they are not. Thin foil hat.

At that point it's just scamming with extra steps. But keep your hat on haha.

 

[DANTENDO]

They could even implement fake code. to make you think the drop rates are something, that they are not. Thin foil hat.

Rest Yr brain and forget lootboxes exist

 

[Chrisssj2]

Rest Yr brain and forget lootboxes exist

Yup. I did. I will never play a single mobile game again.

 

[Deleted User]

The F*** is a lootbox?

 

[FAST6191]

Can't lose if you don't play but I don't have any particular objection to this development. Fairly transparent "we'll self regulate before someone regulates us" behaviour but you expect such things.

Sorry but how do we know even if the odds displayed are true... any critical thinking going on here?

Well lets say company claims 5% drop rate but in actuallity it is 3% or whatever.
Or whatever differeince. Humongous or not. How would we be able to tell the diffrence.. RNG = RNG.

For stuff like Las Vegas then the code for the machines gets made available to the authorities. There are also ways to tell*, though that would involve either a journalist doing some actual research or someone like those which do https://towardsdatascience.com/tagged/gaming having go at things.

*5% and 3% are both low percentage differences that a few tests will not tell. However probability still holds and you could estimate payout rates and what they should be. Various people do this for more general gambling websites and games.

 

[Draxikor]

I have a dream when those 3 companies forget about DLC, microtransactions etc. And return to the time when they make full games since day one and if they got ideas they couldnt insert in the same they make a sequel with those ideas.

 

[Enryx25]

I have a dream when those 3 companies forget about DLC, microtransactions etc. And return to the time when they make full games since day one and if they got ideas they couldnt insert in the same they make a sequel with those ideas.

No Nintendo First Party has microtransations.

 

[Chrisssj2]

Can't lose if you don't play but I don't have any particular objection to this development. Fairly transparent "we'll self regulate before someone regulates us" behaviour but you expect such things.




For stuff like Las Vegas then the code for the machines gets made available to the authorities. There are also ways to tell*, though that would involve either a journalist doing some actual research or someone like those which do https://towardsdatascience.com/tagged/gaming having go at things.

*5% and 3% are both low percentage differences that a few tests will not tell. However probability still holds and you could estimate payout rates and what they should be. Various people do this for more general gambling websites and games.

Well "authorities" deepstate.. and if you believe in independent institutions and journalists...*Shruggs*

 

[DarkCoffe64]

Lootboxes will need to have their odds avaiable to the public
but doesn't mean them triple ay companies have to tell the truth

 

[diggeloid]

This isn't unexpected considering these three companies are not the ones pushing lootboxes into games. Still, I worry that this will be counter-productive in preventing lootboxes. The odds of winning a scratch-off lottery are also printed on all tickets, yet that doesn't stop people from buying them. This will just give lobbyists ammo to push back against further regulation since they already technically did something about it.

 

[codezer0]

The ESA needs to be made to answer for the 2000(+) lives it endangered with such an incompetent storage of sensitive information.

 

[Chary]

The ESA needs to be made to answer for the 2000(+) lives it endangered with such an incompetent storage of sensitive information.

Don't worry, they emailed me a generic apology letter that wasn't very sorry. So it's all okay now.

(they even straight up lied saying the document was password protected when it wasn't but whatever i guess)

Spoiler

Dear Registered E3 Journalist –
The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) was made aware yesterday of a website vulnerability on the exhibitor portal section of the E3 website. Unfortunately, a vulnerability was exploited and that list became public. We regret this happened and are sorry.


We provide ESA members and exhibitors a media list on a password-protected exhibitor site so they can invite you to E3 press events, connect with you for interviews, and let you know what they are showcasing. For more than 20 years there has never been an issue. When we found out, we took down the E3 exhibitor portal and ensured the media list was no longer available on the E3 website.