Loot Boxes are officially banned in Belgium

[gbullock32]

I am curious what they will do if loot boxes are completely banned; more micro-transactions in other forms I'd imagine. It is an interesting turn of events to say the least.

[Zoltor]

I'd rather not have the government interfere in video games. Loot boxes are mainly purchased by Twitch streamers, not little kids like people try to argue. It's not gambling in any sense of the word at all.

Politicians love rich lobbyists, and EA has a lot of cash. You guys don't know what you're asking for when you call for a "ban on loot boxes." At least in the US, loot boxes will never be banned - only regulated. And guess who will be funding those politicians that set regulations? EA and Activision.

Well considering that the esa, and esrb are as corrupt as EA them selves, there's really no other option, and no It's not mainly Twitch streamers buying loot boxes.

[Cosmocalypse]

I'd rather not have the government interfere in video games. Loot boxes are mainly purchased by Twitch streamers, not little kids like people try to argue. It's not gambling in any sense of the word at all.

Politicians love rich lobbyists, and EA has a lot of cash. You guys don't know what you're asking for when you call for a "ban on loot boxes." At least in the US, loot boxes will never be banned - only regulated. And guess who will be funding those politicians that set regulations? EA and Activision.

[Borghir]

It's always worrying to see old grey politicians having to decide on 'computer vidja games' related subjects.
Fingers crossed that this is going to actually affect publishers because I'm sure EA can survive without Belgium.

[Zoltor]

I hope more countries follow. I know here in the Netherlands the cs go monetization is banned, i hope lootboxes from FIFA will be banned too

If CS Go's montetization is banned, Fifa's should be as well, as it uses like the same kind, and executed the same way, so there shouldn't be a way for EA to slither out of it.

[Balta666]

It is great news indeed. It is possible (likely) EA and others will try to change it but a setback is a setback and entities are looking more closely now

[AlexKidd]

I hope more countries follow. I know here in the Netherlands the cs go monetization is banned, i hope lootboxes from FIFA will be banned too

[Zoltor]

No doubt this will only be a short term inconvenience for EA and any other game companies using loot boxes. All this will do is force them to find newer and more despicable ways to milk money from their customers.

Sure they're going to try no doubt, but the whole appeal of loot boxes to scumbag investors, is there no profit ceiling on paper(It's a illusion ofcourse, but scumbags are always good at making them selves believe in their delusions). No matter what EA does, at the end of the day such would not come even remotely close to producing the theoretical profits that loot boxes can.

Most likely they'll have to just fall back on like offering each player as a separate DLC, and shady pre-order only content practices. EA as they have been known for the past 20+ years, is done fore once other countries in Europe follow suit.

[Saskia]

This is pretty much the end for EA, especially when it comes to the fifa money cow.

No doubt this will only be a short term inconvenience for EA and any other game companies using loot boxes. All this will do is force them to find newer and more despicable ways to milk money from their customers.

[The Chosen One]

About time.

Loot Boxes are nothing more than digital slot machines and the sad part is that you can actually win on a slot machine.