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Loot boxes remain one of the most controversial topics in gaming, and now lawmakers in the US are planning to ban paid loot boxes in titles aimed at kids.
Missouri Senator Josh Hawley has put forward a bill called the Protecting Children from Abusive Games Act, which would ban paid loot boxes, as well as pay-to-win mechanics and other practices that could part children from their (or rather their parentsā) hard-earned cash.
In his introduction to the bill, Hawley said these kinds of in-game elements risk encouraging ācompulsive habitsā and that developers shouldnāt be able to āmonetize addictionā.
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[li]Loot boxes and Battlefront 2[/li][li]Avengers: Endgame gets a streaming debut[/li][li]We hired a Battle Royale teacher[/li][/ul]
The ban would potentially apply to āgames played by minorsā, which would include games specifically designed for kids, as well as games where developers allow under-18s to engage in microtransactions.
The saga continues
The billās announcement included a specific mention of Candy Crush, and itās likely that a whole host of titles that let you pay to progress will get swept up in the legislation, due to be introduced to the US Senate soon.
This is a storm thatās been brewing for a while, with authorities in various countries grapple with the issue ā particularly the issue of paying a fee for a chance to win something inside a game, which could be viewed as gambling.
Game studios and developers would rather use existing parental control mechanisms to keep tabs on underage spending rather than see sweeping new laws passed, one lobbyist group told Kotaku ā and thereās no guarantee that this bill will become law.
This controversy is going to continue to run and run, and with software developers keen to establish recurring streams of income, a solution could be some way off.
[ul]
[li]Apple changes App Store āloot boxā policy so you know your odds[/li][/ul]
Via Engadget
Continue readingā¦
Missouri Senator Josh Hawley has put forward a bill called the Protecting Children from Abusive Games Act, which would ban paid loot boxes, as well as pay-to-win mechanics and other practices that could part children from their (or rather their parentsā) hard-earned cash.
In his introduction to the bill, Hawley said these kinds of in-game elements risk encouraging ācompulsive habitsā and that developers shouldnāt be able to āmonetize addictionā.
[ul]
[li]Loot boxes and Battlefront 2[/li][li]Avengers: Endgame gets a streaming debut[/li][li]We hired a Battle Royale teacher[/li][/ul]
The ban would potentially apply to āgames played by minorsā, which would include games specifically designed for kids, as well as games where developers allow under-18s to engage in microtransactions.
The saga continues
The billās announcement included a specific mention of Candy Crush, and itās likely that a whole host of titles that let you pay to progress will get swept up in the legislation, due to be introduced to the US Senate soon.
This is a storm thatās been brewing for a while, with authorities in various countries grapple with the issue ā particularly the issue of paying a fee for a chance to win something inside a game, which could be viewed as gambling.
Game studios and developers would rather use existing parental control mechanisms to keep tabs on underage spending rather than see sweeping new laws passed, one lobbyist group told Kotaku ā and thereās no guarantee that this bill will become law.
This controversy is going to continue to run and run, and with software developers keen to establish recurring streams of income, a solution could be some way off.
[ul]
[li]Apple changes App Store āloot boxā policy so you know your odds[/li][/ul]
Via Engadget
Continue readingā¦