Recently, there’s been a rather heated debate as to whether or not loot boxes need to go. A debate that even the governments of multiple nations have taken part in.
Just to make it clear, I personally don’t like loot boxes myself. And this article does, in no way shape or form, condone the use of loot boxes. I’d much more rather see loot boxes be gone for good than just regulated.
But that’s just my humble opinion.
Come on, let’s face it. Loot boxes gone for good? I’m not joking when I say you’ve got better chances of hoping for world peace. Just saying, better not get your hopes up. Companies will always find a way to make sure to get the greatest number of money from the greatest number of people. And loot boxes, admittedly, are quite a useful tool for that.
Case in point, if loot boxes are going to stay regardless of how we feel, then wouldn’t it be better to make it fairer for everyone else involved?
Is that even possible?
As you know, loot boxes can technically be considered gambling. And as such, there is such a thing as gambling addiction. For the sake of warning, don’t fall prey into it regardless of how “fair” loot boxes can be.
Regardless, this is how I think loot boxes would be more tolerable:
- No Pay-to-Win Schemes
Everyone hates it when that rich kid with no idea what to do with his money just throws it at whatever to get ahead of everyone else.
Of course, there’s no need to be a kid throw your money away at a game. There are plenty of people who are young at heart!
Perhaps we’ve gotten used to being able to enter a multiplayer match with a few added perks that gives us an extra edge. That can be fine for everyone else involved if everyone else involved can do the same thing for themselves. It becomes a hassle when only people who have spent so much time paying for loot boxes get the big edge when it comes to winning games.
This is where loot boxes can typically be unfair for the mass majority. Only those who are too keen in spending money time and time and again for lucky draws hoping to be able to get that one perk or equipment that can really have an edge against other players that it comes to unfair play.
Typically, you’ll find these in free-to-play games but they’ve been pressed more and more, little by little at triple A titles as well.
- Show a Percentage of Chances of Getting a Certain Item
China, of all counties, has the common sense to regulate this.
It would be much better for everyone else if we knew what they were going to get themselves. It’d be at least a bit more comforting if we know what we’re paying for. I’d better appreciate the fact that I know something is guaranteed than keep it a mystery just to get me spending cash some more every turn.
- Free Loot Boxes/No Microtransactions
If companies are going to use some excuse like offering players the chance to progress further and faster in the game as they wish, they could at least make it free or a special type of currency earned in-game.
Not much chances of this ever happening for real, but it can be a big step up into improving the game community in general.
(Credit to Jagodibuja for this comic strip…)
- Make it Cosmetics Only
Everyone loves skins. Especially in multiplayer games.
You want proof? Just ask Overwatch.
At least with this, you’d only have something pretty to look at that people will no doubt gang up on you because you’re the coolest looking target. Hey, the nail that sticks out gets hammered down. Of course, don’t take that seriously.
Still, it’s really better if loot boxes catered more to skins when it comes to extremely competitive gaming that places emphasis on skill rather than money.
At the end of the day, I can’t really hope for any of this to happen. But in almost every case, loot boxes become an issue when they become pay-to-win. A game just isn’t fun anymore when you have to put in too much cash for not much value. And loot boxes usually cost us real life money.
It’s best to make companies know how we feel about this and even refuse to buy games that push us heavily to this direction of shady predatory business dealings. Help do your part to ensure that gaming doesn’t cost us an arm and a leg in the near future!
