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Epic €1.1m fined for breaking EU consumer law in Netherlands

nemiroff

Gold Member
My nine-year old roughly knows how this works. No need to "baby-sit" him, and he doesn't beg for DLC. But that's because we've had interesting discussions about it, and I've explained him how the shady FOMO traps works. I still think regulating business-practices is an important part of things since the amount of psychological probing of weak points by companies can be overwhelming, even for adults.
 
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Cyberpunkd

Member
You forget the "small". 12 is old enough to understand "No" to buy Fortnite shit.
There is a reason why alcohol, tobacco, etc. are available only to 18 years old and above. You don't go case-by-case saying - well, that's a super mature 14-year old, have a pack of Marlboros. Still, there are a lot of 18-year old that are damn stupid.

Your argument - just say "no" boy! - falls flat since we know you have Ph.D. in psychology and behavioral sciences employed by companies to treat every element of F2P game to create maximum FOMO.
 

rodrigolfp

Haptic Gamepads 4 Life
So all kids automatically understand stuff when they turn 12? Like switching on the lights?
No they don't. There is still the fear of missing out and kids of all ages and even adults can be sensitive to this.

But that's besides the point. You're moving goalposts.

This is about agressive in your face faux timed exclusivity and how they reel people in. Kids are more subjectable to this but grown ups also have FoMo.

Hell even the national lottery did similar things and grown ups fell for it. The fact that kids are mentioned is that they are the largest group that are sensitive to this. Not the only group.

How many people buy and grind battle passes every month? Yeah that's FoMo in its purest form and its largely adolescents or adults playing these games. (CoD, BF, etc,etc)

There is a reason why alcohol, tobacco, etc. are available only to 18 years old and above. You don't go case-by-case saying - well, that's a super mature 14-year old, have a pack of Marlboros. Still, there are a lot of 18-year old that are damn stupid.

Your argument - just say "no" boy! - falls flat since we know you have Ph.D. in psychology and behavioral sciences employed by companies to treat every element of F2P game to create maximum FOMO.
I was said "no" tons of times and missed tons of things including tons of full games when I was a kid and survived. Imagine those "poor" kids missing some skins on their games. The horror.
People are creating generations of cry babies that hear a "no" and already need therapy.
 
I was said "no" tons of times and missed tons of things including tons of full games when I was a kid and survived. Imagine those "poor" kids missing some skins on their games.

My kids know damn well they can't always get what their hearts desire all the time and have to learn to spend responsibly. I tought them that at early age. They are now 14 and 18 and have more Savings then I did when I was 21 for fuck's sake. (0 not really being a good baseline but still)

My point is the fact that parents will have to say no while this could have been avoided. Kids these days already have a form of built-in entitlement and you have to be stern about it. Games agressively targeting kids is not helping this process now is it?

I told my son NO on numerous occasions (except when things were on steep sale and actually worth the price), but it was always concerning things that were advertised with shiny colors and big letters saying LIMITED OFFER or OFFER ENDS IN or NEW LIMITED TIME ONLY!!!!!!!!!
Maybe he is more sensitive to these sort of things but he never once came begging for regular ingame stuff which you can find in the ingame stores. He bought those from his allowance with my consent only and even then he only bought stuff he chose himself.

The issue is this: Kids won't be as likely to be influenced by ads if they weren't as intrusive as they are. Especially because companies damn well know how to pull this sleazy trick and knowingly create the above situation. Some parents cave, win for them.
Even if it's just say 3% (pulling this out of my ass, just for reference) of the total player account which buy these things based on this way of advertising, they made a profit. That's all that counts. That has to change.

Especially if you damn well know you're luring kids.
You have to agree that using this fear to make a quick buick out of kids is just a slimeball tactic.


Jack Sparrow Pirate GIF by MonkexNFT
 
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rodrigolfp

Haptic Gamepads 4 Life
My kids know damn well they can't always get what their hearts desire all the time and have to learn to spend responsibly. I tought them that at early age. They are now 14 and 18 and have more Savings then I did when I was 21 for fuck's sake. (0 not really being a good baseline but still)

My point is the fact that parents will have to say no while this could have been avoided. Kids these days already have a form of built-in entitlement and you have to be stern about it. Games agressively targeting kids is not helping this process now is it?

I told my son NO on numerous occasions (except when things were on steep sale and actually worth the price), but it was always concerning things that were advertised with shiny colors and big letters saying LIMITED OFFER or OFFER ENDS IN or NEW LIMITED TIME ONLY!!!!!!!!!
Maybe he is more sensitive to these sort of things but he never once came begging for regular ingame stuff which you can find in the ingame stores. He bought those from his allowance with my consent only and even then he only bought stuff he chose himself.

The issue is this: Kids won't be as likely to be influenced by ads if they weren't as intrusive as they are. Especially because companies damn well know how to pull this sleazy trick and knowingly create the above situation. Some parents cave, win for them.
Even if it's just say 3% (pulling this out of my ass, just for reference) of the total player account which buy these things based on this way of advertising, they made a profit. That's all that counts. That has to change.

Especially if you damn well know you're luring kids.
You have to agree that using this fear to make a quick buick out of kids is just a slimeball tactic.


Jack Sparrow Pirate GIF by MonkexNFT
12+ years old kids should get a beating if they fear missing some skin in a game.
 

rodrigolfp

Haptic Gamepads 4 Life
12+ year olds deserve beatings for many things but that's not the point.

If by now you still don't understand I honestly don't know what to say.
I understand that Epic or whatever company can advertise how they want their product and it's absurdly pathetic fining them for this.
 
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