ESRB To Begin Marking Video Games With Loot Boxes
The only people who like loot boxes in video games are the handful of folks making money off of them. An unfortunate side effect of our constantly connected culture, video games can now generate an endless amount of bonus cash for the maker after the game itself has been bought, by selling players mystery boxes filled with content they must purchase the box to see. Many consider this a form of gambling, and there have been calls to regulate loot boxes for years, if not outright ban them. Video games themselves once faced heavy regulation until the ESRB was formed in 1994, creating a ratings system that would inform parents of a game’s content from the box. Now the ESRB has stepped in again, saying it will henceforth mark all games that contain loot box mechanics. The box where the rating is will have another box below it with the words “In-Game Purchases (Includes Random Items).” “In-Game Purchases (Includes Random Items): In-game offers to purchase digital goods or premiums with