Overwatch and CS:GO Loot Boxes Found Illegal – Could Mean Jail Time
Overwatch and CS:GO Loot Boxes Found Illegal – Could Mean Jail Time
Following rapidly on the heels of the Netherlands Loot Box ruling, Belgium has now joined the crusade against Loot Boxes. This time, Overwatch and CS:GO are in trouble with Fifa 18 now facing two countries warning them of illegal activities. Unlike the Netherlands, Belgium’s biggest issue is with the deceptive marketing practices of these three games when such large portions of their audience are children. Koen Geens, the Minister of Justice who commissioned the investigation, spoke about why Loot Boxes in particular must be regulated.
“We have already taken numerous measures to protect both minors and adults against the influence of gambling advertising. That is why we must also ensure that children and adults are not confronted with games of chance when they are looking for fun in video games.”
While Blizzard is facing just a single charge, Valve is now heading off attacks on both Dota 2 and CS:GO, something that could prove rather difficult considering how Steam Trading is incorporated into both games. EA is also back in the spotlight, even after fixing Loot Boxes and currency in Star Wars Battlefront II. Fifa 18 is now being attacked by both Belgium and the Netherlands, making EA’s unethical and deceptive tactics now more than just debates across Reddit.
EA, in particular, has already come out to defend itself, stating that it unequivocally believes its games offer a “fair experience” and comply with “regional ratings standards.” But EA might be better suited looking to fix their game, not defend it. The fine that Belgium will level against all three companies could be as high as $1.1 million and could also include a sentence of five years in prison. However, when minors are involved, these penalties could double.
While game companies would surely love to keep Loot Boxes, the cards are starting to stack against them. Korea recently fined Nexon $1 million for deceptive practices with Loot Boxes. While Loot Boxes have brought in hundreds of millions to game companies, jail time or country-wide bans are hardly something that should be toyed with. Like Star Wars Battlefront II, companies may find that they don’t have much of a choice to keep the hugely profitable devices in game, not unless they want to battle entire governments in court.
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