The practice of loot boxes and microtransactions is a topic that's been hotly debated in the gaming space over the last few years, with games like Star Wars Battlefront II and Middle-earth: Shadow of War raising questions as to what should and shouldn't be included, and now Kotaku has reported on a new bill being put forward to the US senate.
Senator Josh Hawley is the one announcing the bill, which would ban loot boxes and pay-to-win microtransactions in games for those under the age of 18, as well as those "whose developers knowingly allow minor players to engage in microtransactions".
This is called 'The Protecting Children from Abusive Games Act', and here is what Hawley says about the proposal:
"When a game is designed for kids, game developers shouldn't be allowed to monetize addiction. And when kids play games designed for adults, they should be walled off from compulsive microtransactions. Game developers who knowingly exploit children should face legal consequences."
Candy Crush is cited as an example here, specifically the Luscious Bundle costing $150 USD that gives access to plenty of in-game items. Presumably though, this would also extend to games like Overwatch, which features loot boxes with random items, as well as microtransactions.
The Entertainment Software Association provided its own statement to Kotaku after the bill was revealed, saying the following:
"Numerous countries, including Ireland, Germany, Sweden, Denmark, Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom, determined that loot boxes do not constitute gambling. We look forward to sharing with the senator the tools and information the industry already provides that keeps the control of in-game spending in parents' hands. Parents already have the ability to limit or prohibit in-game purchases with easy to use parental controls."
Belgium is the country that has been in most of the headlines around loot boxes and microtransactions, as they've cracked down to such an extent that big games like Pro Evolution Soccer 2019 and FIFA 19 have removed their virtual currencies due to changing regulation.
What do you make of this bill?