Epic Games, following several publishers, confirmed its desire to make loot boxes transparent mechanics. In all new games of the company, the percentage of randomness in loot boxes will be indicated.
As reported by Gamesindustry.biz, Epic has already started working in this direction. Psyonix, which she recently acquired, recently promised to remove the loot boxes from Rocket League.
In the wake of the statements of other publishers, “epics” hastened to remind:
Earlier this year, the Fortnite: Save the World team made it so that players could see the contents of the llama (an analogue of loot boxes) before opening it. And Psyonix this week announced the introduction of a similar system in Rocket League, which will happen before the end of this year. We strive to ensure that in the future all in-game purchases in our games are as transparent as possible.
This policy applies to Epic Games’ own games. It is not yet known how the situation will be with loot boxes in games sold through the Epic Games Store.
Recall that Epic Games is a member of the ESA — the Association of Software and Video Game Manufacturers. The latter stated that many of its members require developers to indicate the percentage of randomness in loot boxes. Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft, for example, have promised not to release console games where this requirement is not met.
To another ESA partner — THQ Nordic — do not find fault at all. There are no loot boxes in the titles published by him. And in the future, according to the publisher, he will not have a “gambling-style mechanic”.
Curiously, the ESA itself does not perceive loot boxes as a form of gambling. At least, that’s what association president Mike Hallaher put it last year.
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