Self-explanatory for many people, but Heather Alexander wrote this really good article on the problems of lootboxes and how they rarely if ever can be excused since they're designed to prey on the vulnerable. Whether it is simply pay 2 win or even cosmetic lootboxes, they are all exploitative. It's also a necessary statement because I've seen developers argue that lootboxes are necessary to support developers and their income (thereby overlooking how publishers are the one taking all the money)
Heather Alexander had some other great points on her twitter:
https://kotaku.com/loot-boxes-are-designed-to-exploit-us-1819457592
On top of this, loot systems are designed to maximize use through carefully crafted audio and visual design. In interviews with my colleague Cecilia D'Anastasio earlier this year, the designers from games like Overwatch and Duelyst explain how their crates are designed to be a pleasurable experience.
”When you start opening a loot box, we want to build anticipation," an Overwatch developer said. ”We do this in a lot of ways—animations, camera work, spinning plates, and sounds. We even build a little anticipation with the glow that emits from a loot box's cracks before you open it."
Moment for moment, loot boxes are engineered to capture attention with a mixture of spectacle and psychological trickery not unlike what you might find at a slot machine.
Whether they dole out cosmetics or gameplay-affecting items, loot boxes of any sort exist for the purpose of exploiting players. Whether it's offering the chance to get Symmetra's new skin or get a better rifle in Battlefront II, the only reason the loot box exists is to prey on the economically vulnerable. You are not a valued player; you are a statistic on a spreadsheet. You are red or black ink. Loot boxes certainly aren't there for fun. They have always been designed for the purpose of making sure that a company turns a profit.
Here's the really fucked up thing: while I can arguably afford this addiction (and, really, I can't) plenty of people who have started up with loot boxes or gacha games can't afford it at all. They know it, but I promise you plenty of them are logging into Overwatch right now to get those Halloween skins.
When you go to a casino, they give you chips. When I log into Fire Emblem Heroes, they give me orbs. This isn't a problem that started with Shadow of Mordor. It is something that has been a cornerstone of games for years now. Pull that lever and you'll realize that these boxes are designed to fuck you over and take your cash. For every person who can step away, plenty of people can't. It's a system that preys on addiction, built upon mountains of research on how best to trick people into letting companies rob them.
I still play my gacha games. I still play Overwatch. I write about those games here. I think they're fun. But we need to acknowledge what loot boxes are. They're slot machines in everything but name, meticulously crafted to encourage player spending and keep them on the hook.
The problem isn't just that games cost more to make or that loot boxes might affect multiplayer balance. The problem is that I can't delete these games. The problem is that I'm not the only one. And that's exactly what publishers are counting on.
Heather Alexander had some other great points on her twitter:
https://kotaku.com/loot-boxes-are-designed-to-exploit-us-1819457592