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EA concedes: Will no longer sell FIFA loot boxes in Belgium

iconmaster

Banned
EA buckles in Belgium, stops selling FIFA Points following loot box gambling pressure
https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/...a-points-following-loot-box-gambling-pressure

Following the ruling, Blizzard, Valve and 2K Games all elected to disable loot boxes in their games in Belgium. EA, however, had done nothing - until now.

"After further discussions with the Belgian authorities, we have decided to stop offering FIFA Points for sale in Belgium," EA said.

I know there's sentiment out there that gamers should have the option to spend money on these if they want to. But for me this is purely good news. Blind loot boxes ask for real money in exchange for unknown goods; and the developer can easily and invisibly tweak the odds at open time to keep you spending.

Epic also recently removed blind loot boxes from its games, electing instead for "see-through" llamas. (Of course, they can readily afford to do so.)

I'd like to think this is now a trend.
 

RuhRo

Member
They're a terrible exploitative practice and any upside isn't worth the harm to consumers.
 
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nowhat

Member
Thank you, Belgium. Let's hope the rest of EU follows.
Here's hoping. Ideally, the industry should regulate itself - but in practice, they won't, so the only way any improvements will be made is through governmental regulation. Preferably by a large player like the EU instead of just singular member states.
 
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gioGAF

Member
I think many people falsely believe that many of us in the anti-lootbox camp just want to take their lootboxes away. I don't care if a game has lootboxes (I won't be buying it), but it NEEDS to be labelled for what it is and treated as such by the authorities (regulation, taxation, etc.):

ADULTS ONLY
Content suitable only for adults ages 18 and up. May include prolonged scenes of intense violence, graphic sexual content and/or gambling with real currency.
 

rockyt

Member
That's a step in the right direction. I do not see loot boxes as totally bad but that is if it a free game not a fully paid for game. I do also see it as a form of gambling and should follow gambling laws and regulations. People can get addicted to buying these loot boxes and gambling away lots of money as in casino as well.
 

Fuz

Banned
I think many people falsely believe that many of us in the anti-lootbox camp just want to take their lootboxes away.

I do.
Because it affects not only them but also me and the whole gaming media.
ADULTS ONLY
Content suitable only for adults ages 18 and up. May include prolonged scenes of intense violence, graphic sexual content and/or gambling with real currency.
Yeah, like any parent read those things.
 

Spukc

always chasing the next thrill
HAHAH
GET FUCKED

i can't wait for this shit to go global get that shit out of my games.
go back to mobile dipshits
 

TacosNSalsa

Member
I find it amazing that EA was able to just say no we ain't doing shit to the Belgium govt. for any length of time let alone this long..
 

Zog

Banned
I think many people falsely believe that many of us in the anti-lootbox camp just want to take their lootboxes away. I don't care if a game has lootboxes (I won't be buying it), but it NEEDS to be labelled for what it is and treated as such by the authorities (regulation, taxation, etc.):
No, I want them gone. This is one of those 'given an inch, they take a mile' things.
 
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gioGAF

Member
I do.
Because it affects not only them but also me and the whole gaming media.

Yeah, like any parent read those things.
Not exactly sure what you are saying. If you are in support of lootboxes and are a member of the gaming media, then I can see how it would affect you. However, that is not really a good point. When something is(should be) illegal and someone profits from it, I'm not really seeing it as a loss if they can no longer profit from it because they got caught or the law caught up with their scam.

Regarding the rating, when was the last time you saw an AO game at your local game store?
 

abbyabs

Member
Good news I hope the rest of Europe and world for that matter follows suit its an awful practice that spoils games and exploits children.
 

Barakov

Member
Good to hear but I want this to happen on a worldwide scale. To some degree I can see it on a F2P game. But on a full priced, boxed product? Get that out of here. This is what happens when the industry refuses to regulate itself.
 

iconmaster

Banned
it NEEDS to be labelled for what it is

This is the bare minimum that should have already been done. Instead, the ESRB punted with "In-game purchases," which is worthlessly nonspecific by design.

aff9874de60542e68f8114afd53c4f2d.jpg
 

Lucumo

Member
Not exactly sure what you are saying. If you are in support of lootboxes and are a member of the gaming media, then I can see how it would affect you.
Nope, he is right. Companies base their games around loot boxes/microtransactions and balance it that way. As such, one is affected even if he/she doesn't buy anything because the grind for something will be completely off.
 

gioGAF

Member
Nope, he is right. Companies base their games around loot boxes/microtransactions and balance it that way. As such, one is affected even if he/she doesn't buy anything because the grind for something will be completely off.
Okay, now I understand the point being made and I agree with it 100%. The ideal for me would be to eliminate loot boxes/microtransactions as well, but I don't think we have any ground for their complete elimination.

The best option we have is restricting their sales in the same way other forms of gambling are restricted. In essence, this would remove loot boxes from most mainstream games. The sad truth is that microtransactions are probably not going anywhere :-(

The gambling video games could go right next to the porno video games, wherever that may be.
 
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Ivellios

Member
How about other loot box based games from other companies, will they stop selling lootboxes as well in Belgium?
 

Guileless

Temp Banned for Remedial Purposes
I bet EA has commenced intense (and expensive) lobbying of politicians in other countries to prevent this from spreading.
 

Morinaga

Member
"After further discussions with the Belgian authorities, we have decided to stop offering FIFA Points for sale in Belgium," EA said.

Translation:

"Once the Belgium Authorities made it plainly clear we would be going to Jail for pushing gambling practices to under age children, with a side effect of potentially massively invasive money laundering investigations; we decided it was probably a better idea not to break the law and brag about it"
 
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