LAWS & LOOT BOXES

     Loot boxes are at the forefront of gaming news as of late, as lawmakers in several countries have decided to regulate them or propose legislation to enforce restrictions or full on bans of the feature. Loot boxes can range from things as small as cosmetic options for a character or weapon, to things resembling a “pay to win” device. The latter was at the center of the universal uproar against Star Wars Battlefront II when it launched. EA and Take Two, companies which make large profits off the loot box mechanic, have strongly decried legislation against the device. EA’s VP of legal, Kerry Hopkins, when interviewed by a government party, didn’t use the term loot box, and referred to it as “surprise mechanic” instead. He compared it to “kinder eggs”, the popular chocolate which comes with a surprise toy inside. Take Two’s CEO, Strauss Zelnick, said regulation of loot boxes would be an infringement of First Amendment rights. Safe to say, this legal fight for/against loot boxes will not be going away anytime soon.