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Director of IGDA calls on game industry to pre-empt government action against loot boxes

IGDA Director calling on games industry to take action against Loot Boxes before more Government legislation.

By Vox Mon 03 Dec, 2018 4:38 PM - Last Updated: Tue 04 Dec, 2018 1:28 AM
The executive director of the International Games Developers Association, Jen MacLean recently posted on her blog a call for the games industry to take action against Loot Boxes before the Government brings legislation in against them.

Posting on her blog, Maclean said “Earlier this week, the United States Federal Trade Commission agreed to investigate loot box monetization and its potential impact on children. This announcement, which follows Belgium’s investigation and restrictions in the Netherlands on the use of loot boxes, should be a clear wakeup call to the game development industry that we must address how we use loot boxes, especially when they’re in games played by children.”

She continued by giving her thoughts on what action the industry should take when it comes to Loot Boxes, saying: “We have a blueprint for taking action as a community, and industry, in how we established clear, easy-to-understand game ratings and content descriptions so that consumers, and especially parents, understand what’s in the games they or their children play. As an industry and community, we should take the following steps immediately: affirm an industry commitment to not market loot boxes to children; clearly disclose the odds of different rewards when purchasing loot boxes (as many games already do to comply with Chinese law); launch a coordinated education campaign that boosts awareness of the parental controls that are available to appropriately limit how players engage with games.”

In recent months both the Dutch and Belgium governments have come out against Loot Boxes, could the rest of the EU follow suit and take a long look at loot boxes as well? Australia has also spoken out against loot boxes and now with the FTC taking a look at loot boxes in the United States, the chance of more legislation coming against the game industry and loot box issue certainly seems more and more likely.

WRITTEN BY Vox
EDITED BY Three of Seven - rena.hobden@ufplanets.com
1 Comment
Mon 03 Dec, 2018 4:42 PM
Its about time, and hopefully enough to make a difference in the short term before the inventively legislation does force game publishers to change their stance on loot boxes.