What are loot boxes ?

Creating video games doesn’t come cheap, and neither does it bring in a whole lot of revenue. At least that’s what game publishers would have you believe. They’re constantly looking for new ways to increase their profits in the long run. Loot boxes are just one example of that. They are virtual items which have been causing a lot of debate in recent years.

The controversy really started when Star Wars Battlefront 2 came out in late 2017. There were a lot of disappointed gamers out there, so much so that they called for a full boycott of the game. Having already purchased the game itself, they realised they would have to spend over $2,000 more to unlock its full content.

The idea behind loot boxes is simple. You buy a virtual box without knowing what’s inside it. You always get some kind of virtual item in return, you just don’t know how much it will be worth.

Gamers are getting fed up with loot boxes. More generally, they’re fed up with the idea of “pay to win”, whereby they are incited to pay in order to have something in the game. Some think loot boxes should be considered a form of gambling and therefore made illegal for minors.  

It’s true that young people are twice as likely as adults to become addicted to games of chance. There are many risks, such as psychoactive substance use, anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts, financial losses or a drop in academic performance.

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