A lot of gamers hate loot boxes. People have called for various regulations of them, up to and including banning them entirely. But one of the simplest regulations is to merely require the games that have them to disclose the odds of getting the drop you want. Apple has apparently done exactly that.
http://toucharcade.com/2017/12/21/apple-quietly-updated-the-app-store-review-guidelines-to-require-disclosure-of-loot-box-iap-odds/Here's the document in question from Apple's web site:
https://developer.apple.com/app-store/review/guidelines/#in-app-purchaseAnd the critical quote:
"Apps offering “loot boxes” or other mechanisms that provide randomized virtual items for purchase must disclose the odds of receiving each type of item to customers prior to purchase."
Apple can impose that unilaterally, as they have the power to kick games off of their platform entirely. Game console manufacturers could do the same thing if so inclined. I'd like to see that mandated more widely. While I'm often skeptical of the benefits of additional regulations, merely requiring that companies publish the odds of getting something that they're asking you to pay for a chance at winning without restricting what they can sell is a pretty weak requirement that isn't likely to impose much in the way of compliance costs.
I'm not saying that nothing beyond mandating disclosure should be done. But I am saying that the law should at least mandate disclosure of the odds of whatever you're buying a chance at winning.
Comments
+1
"True friends stab you in the front." | Oscar Wilde
"I need to finish" - Christian Wolff: The Accountant
Just trying to live long enough to play a new, released MMORPG, playing New Worlds atm
Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Pvbs 18:2, NIV
Don't just play games, inhabit virtual worlds™
"This is the most intelligent, well qualified and articulate response to a post I have ever seen on these forums. It's a shame most people here won't have the attention span to read past the second line." - Anon
All time classic MY NEW FAVORITE POST! (Keep laying those bricks)
"I should point out that no other company has shipped out a beta on a disc before this." - Official Mortal Online Lead Community Moderator
Proudly wearing the Harbinger badge since Dec 23, 2017.
Coined the phrase "Role-Playing a Development Team" January 2018
"Oddly Slap is the main reason I stay in these forums." - Mystichaze April 9th 2018
There are certain queer times and occasions in this strange mixed affair we call life when a man takes this whole universe for a vast practical joke, though the wit thereof he but dimly discerns, and more than suspects that the joke is at nobody's expense but his own.
-- Herman Melville
Glad to see them take this step.
"Be water my friend" - Bruce Lee
"Be water my friend" - Bruce Lee
Some obscure game with little revenue might well get away with posting incorrect odds. But big, well-known games that bring in millions of dollars are far more likely to get caught if they try to cheat like that.
I'm not sure if apple put much effort on enforcing the laws though. If apple really care, there won't be load of pokemon spinoff games which obviously is breaking copy right law.
Please do not respond to me, even if I ask you a question, its rhetorical.
Please do not respond to me
Apple is more about 'curation' if you will. Steam is more about 'libertarianism' for the lack of a better word in both cases.
and to be fair for those who have issue with that approach (steams approach) they should in all fairness just use a different service
Please do not respond to me, even if I ask you a question, its rhetorical.
Please do not respond to me
........my heroes.
http://money.cnn.com/2017/12/21/technology/apple-slows-down-old-iphones/index.html
I can see them just manipulating it for their own gain tbh, after what Bungie did with XP. Tell people it's 2% drop, get people excited and buying when actually drop is drastically less than that.
Hopefully Sony, Microsoft and steam do the same, then maybe it can work.
Overall on the whole topic of lootboxes, that they're asking them to post odds, for me just further solidifies that it's gambling.
Better late than never? Now if PC games could do something.
- Al
Personally the only modern MMORPG trend that annoys me is the idea that MMOs need to be designed in a way to attract people who don't actually like MMOs. Which to me makes about as much sense as someone trying to figure out a way to get vegetarians to eat at their steakhouse.- FARGIN_WAR
But I think it'll allow people who aren't addicted to make better decisions and reduce further addictions.
It's also an admission by a huge vested interest that something needs to be done.
"Be water my friend" - Bruce Lee