EA defends lootboxes by calling them ethical surprise mechanics, and comparing them to Kinder Eggs

Dimensional · Jun 21, 2019

Watched this in a Youtube blog, and the comments were a little hilarious though some were dark. "I didn't T-Bone you. It was a Surprise Reflex Examine, which you failed." "I didn't rob the bank. It was a Surprise Withdrawal." And the like.

What else functions where you pay for a Surprise Mechanic? Slot Machines. So EA is really just digging a bigger hole for themselves by unknowingly associating their loot boxes more with gambling now.

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julianuf said:
Disgusting. Shame on EA.

Agree 100%. I wish that we could do away with that kind of randomness at all levels, but I'll be happy with just seeing it gone from games.

At least with physical items, you are able to actually do stuff with them... Trade, give away, sell, or skip the randomness and buy one off eBay.

The only RNG I want in my video games is the one that maliciously ruins my Speed Runs.

Bladexdsl · Jun 21, 2019

ea are panicking now if they lose their precious loot boxes no one will buy their shitty games anymore. hope it happens too

Dimensional · Jun 21, 2019

Bladexdsl said:
ea are panicking now if they lose their precious loot boxes no one will buy their shitty games anymore. hope it happens too

I think it's more they will be forced to remove their currently only way of making a profit, forcing them to rethink their marketing strategy and actually make good games. Right now that's one of the reasons their games aren't doing so well. They don't care about actual game development, hence why we had failures like ME:A and Anthem. They would rather spend $100 to make a crappy game with loot boxes that could net them $100,000,000 in a month than spend $100,000 on a Triple A game that would net them $100 Billion in a year.

Their whole strategy is no longer about making great games people want to play, it's about using names to try and sell you a gold plated ~~canvas~~ nylon bag and then have you spend more to upgrade it and keep it upgraded. The biggest, most vocal opponents to this bill are the ones who no longer care about making something great, but are more akin to scam artists, taking your money and running off before you have a chance to realize you've been cheated. To them, the gaming industry is less about making something fun, and more about making money off of the player. It's sad it went this way, as I still remember back when gaming was fun and exciting, where you bought a game and it was actually fun.

Lumince · Jun 21, 2019

Keep digging yourself a bigger hole EA. The more you say BS like this, the worse you look... No one wants to hear your BS excuse for having pay to win.

D34DL1N3R · Jun 21, 2019

Haloman800 said:
F the government. If person A wants to sell a digital item & person B wants to buy it, they should have zero involvement. This is all about the government controlling what you can and can't do.

Seeing your signature, I think someone forgot to tell you it's long past 2016. I also find it pretty damn amusing that a person who is most likely a Republican is complaining about government control. I think you're on the wrong side of the fence my friend.

Dimensional · Jun 21, 2019

D34DL1N3R said:
Seeing your signature, I think someone forgot to tell you it's long past 2016. I also find it pretty damn amusing that a person who is most likely a Republican is complaining about government control. I think you're on the wrong side of the fence my friend.

I personally believe the government shouldn't have to consider a bill like this, but I'm not against it out right. If the industry is refusing to return to its root by making good quality games instead of Quick Cash Grabs strategies, then they will have to be regulated. The last time there was a threat of regulation, we got the ESA. But now even the ESA has gotten complacent with how broken the gaming industry has become, so it seems if the ESA won't wake up, they will become pointless and worthless.

So the ESA has 3 choices: Back down and get companies like EA to stop with their Malicious Money Making Market, or continue to fight the government until they either lose royally or they pay off enough politicians to win. It's hard to tell which will happen, because with how the strategy is, it seems they are less willing to pay off politicians than years past, since it means less money they have in the short run, which goes against their current business model of "Money Now"

Lumince · Jun 21, 2019

Haloman800 said:
F the government. If person A wants to sell a digital item & person B wants to buy it, they should have zero involvement. This is all about the government controlling what you can and can't do.

Id rather someone not be able to pay to literally advance in the game/win and basically cheat at a game. Pay to win is garbage and so is EA.

CTR640 · Jun 21, 2019

I'll just leave it here:

Spider_Man · Jun 21, 2019

kinder eggs are a childs treat, loot boxes are premium content that would normally be unlocked in a game, but your charged to get access to it.

ea do talk shit

Dimensional · Jun 21, 2019

CTR640 said:
I'll just leave it here:

Next Temp Tantrum should have an EA representative argue that players will only enjoy their poorly made games more if they spend more money purchasing ingame loot, like a stick with a string, bucket of air, Headlight Fluid, and Novelty ~~Canvas~~ Nylon bags.

SonowRaevius · Jun 21, 2019

EA knows they would tank if their whales couldn't dump hundreds of thousands of dollars into the game because their product is actually shit.

But that's how almost all AAA/Older companies are getting these days: Why make a quality product when you can make a mediocre one and then nickel and dime your players for every little thing?

Either that or make pachinko machines I guess.

SG854 · Jun 21, 2019

Memoir said:
My daughter is addicted to the "black bag" toys. Always wanting one. Always asking for them. Yes, it is the parents responsibility to teach their children the difference of want and need. However, we can not 100% control their actions. No matter how hard we try.

I was a good kid, outside of the fact that I still "borrowed" my moms debit card to purchase things. Protections be damned, you should have to verify you are the name on the card and that you are legally allowed to make this purchase. The unfortunate truth is that this is not feasible.

So, EA needs to take responsibility in their egregious actions. Also, it's not just children. It's an unethical practice for gamers of all kinds to be subjected to. Remember Battlefront 2? You either had to put an unrealistic amount of time into the game, or spend some coin to get what you want. It's underhanded, sleazy and downright wrong.

I agree that parents need a better grip on certain aspects, but I do point the blame at EA and the like as well.

1st hand experience since I was a kid like we all were. If I stole money from my parents they would beat my ass. So I didn’t do it. Even money lying around on their dresser drawer.

There is gambling everywhere it’s unavoidable if your a kid. I bet you a million dollars I can jump over that. Super Mario 64 DS had poker. Pokémon cards is randomized. Video Games even without Loot Boxes has gambling aspects in them, and I don’t think people would want to walk the line of ban video games because kids might get addicted to them and it’ll affect their grades.

It’s everywhere it’s unavoidable. So it has to be the parents to set limitations on game playing time and money use. Yes kids find ways to disobey like I did, sneaking game playing when my parents wasn’t looking. But it was out of fear getting caught so I didn’t do it often.

You can see exactly all the purchase made on your card so you’ll know. And you can set password online so they can’t make anymore purchases on your card. Sony and Nintendo has a password prompt.

Calebcass1 · Jun 21, 2019

Lol, that's actually a pretty creative spin, still b.s. but I applaud the effort

odeon · Jun 22, 2019

The biggest issue with comparing digital loot boxes to physical surprises is that physical items have physical value. If you open 20 packs of Pokémon cards to find a single card, the rest can be sold and traded. Loot boxes are inherently worthless beyond the initial excitement of opening it, you can literally spend hundreds of dollars on absolutely nothing.

nightshadowon · Jun 22, 2019

SG854 said:
I don’t see how it’s the companies fault that kids steal their parents credit cards.

That’s the parents responsibility to raise their kids. What the hell are the parents doing letting their kids fuck them over and do nothing about it.

There is Federal Law that protects from unauthorized purchases, The Truth Lending Act and they are only responsible for $50 in purchases made to their accounts.

There is protections beyond Federal Law in Zero Liability Policies many card companies have and they’ll let you off the hook for the entire amount.

Under Federal Protection FTC ordered Apple to pay $32.5 million to reimburse parents for unauthorized app purchases made by their kids.

Even with these protections it’s still not the companies fault that you have poorly raised kids and you do nothing to stop them, or teach them life lessons.

But instead people are going to make excuses and say they got our kids addicted so it’s not out fault. You don’t understand psychology and addictions and the teenage mind. My kids wanted to be cool with all those Fortnite skins, he’s a victim. They are susceptible to addictions can’t you see! The Science let’s me off the hook. It’s never our fault, it’s that rap music and violent video games that makes them do bad. Had nothing to do with me. But let me rush to take all the credit when they get good grades and win competitions, that was all me and my parenting.

That is true only for credit cards. If your kid or you steal a debit card there is $0 protection, unless your bank adds it separately in the contract.

But yes, I agree there should be some parents responsibility. I have tried to lockdown all the devices and accounts my kids have access too, but it is not 100% perfect. I accidentally bought something through an Amazon tablet trying to test their "lockdown". I had to chat with them to have it removed, and now use an empty gift card for my default payment method on Amazon (movies, apps, music, and all their stuff).

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You know what I miss? Joe the Camel*

*I don't know in other countries, but in US he was a cartoon camel that advertised cigarettes to ki** adults.

BlusterBong · Jun 22, 2019

but seriously though, whats next? the money Holocaust of 2020

cots · Jun 22, 2019

After this is outlawed possibly they will address games being sold in a buggy beta state - that's also a recent negative move by the video gaming industry.

Pluupy · Jun 22, 2019

Kinder eggs were banned in the United States until they figured out a way for people not to choke on them a few years ago...

I find it disgusting they're comparing them to Hatchimals and similar surprise bags, which are also a part of the problem with encouraging gambling in children and ALWAYS HAVE.

LucasM3 · Jun 22, 2019

Hoppy said:
I see them all the time at my local grocery store, so I don't think so. Unless they're pulling off some sneaky tactic to sell em' there...

They were banned until recently. It had something to do with not being allowed to mix food and non edibles inside them.

DarkKaine · Jun 22, 2019

BlusterBong said:
but seriously though, whats next? the money Holocaust of 2020

What's next is game streaming with the same microtransaction bullshit and then they'll compare themselves to netflix.

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