Loot box (gaming)
A loot box, also known as a loot crate or treasure box, is a feature in video games that allows players to purchase randomized packs of virtual items, often using real money. The allure of loot boxes lies in the chance of obtaining rare or valuable items, but this practice has raised concerns about its similarities to gambling, particularly among young players. The origins of loot boxes can be traced back to collectible card games from the 1990s, where players bought sealed packs in hopes of finding valuable cards. The first video game to implement loot boxes was ZT Online in 2006, a move that quickly gained popularity among developers. While some games offer loot boxes that include items players can also earn through gameplay, the time investment required to obtain these items without purchasing loot boxes can be significant. As loot boxes became prevalent in both single-player and multiplayer games, backlash emerged, leading to legislative scrutiny and bans in certain countries, such as Belgium. The debate continues over whether loot boxes contribute to gambling addiction, particularly in children, highlighting the need for a balanced discourse on their impact in the gaming community.
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Loot box (gaming)
A loot box, also sometimes called a loot crate or treasure box, is a method by which virtual items are commonly distributed in video games. They refer to blindly purchasing packs of virtual items, hoping to secure rare or valuable pieces. In most cases, players purchase loot boxes with real money. The practice has been declared gambling and banned in some countries.
Overview
Though loot boxes are a recent phenomenon in the gaming world, the concept of randomly buying packs of game-related items of variable value can be traced back to collectible card games. In the 1990s, collectible card games like Magic: The Gathering and the Pokémon Trading Card Game rapidly grew in popularity. Part of the games' appeal was that cards were primarily purchased through sealed packs, each of which contained random cards of varying monetary value. This encouraged buyers to purchase numerous packs in hopes of finding rare cards.
As video games became a worldwide sensation, game developers quickly introduced random item drops into the games. Like card packs, the items dropped would be of various in-game values, encouraging users to play more to secure valuable items. In 2006, the Chinese Massively Multiplayer Online (MMO) game ZT Online was the first game to release virtual treasure boxes. Players could purchase these boxes, and the contents of the boxes were hidden before purchasing. In some cases, players were able to get in-game items cheaper than if they had been individually purchased. When opening a chest, players were shown all the valuable items the pack could contain. However, the odds of securing any of these high-value items were extremely low.
Once other game companies realized that the practice was extremely profitable, loot boxes quickly spread. Developers began to include them in mobile games, allowing users to directly purchase loot boxes from their phones. Puzzle & Dragons, one such mobile game, earned more than a billion dollars from such purchases. However, in Japan, lawmakers decided that loot boxes violated anti-gambling laws.
In 2010, game developer Valve made its highly successful shooting game Team Fortress 2 free to play. However, at the same time, they became the first Western developer to incorporate loot boxes into their product. Players earned loot boxes in this game through regular playing, but were required to purchase keys to open them. Many sports games also added loot boxes, allowing players to unlock various athletes, coaches, and cosmetics from them.
By 2015 and onward, loot boxes were a common feature in both single player and multiplayer games. In many cases, they only offered items that could theoretically be earned through playing the game alone. However, the items would commonly take tens of hours of game time to earn, making it impractical to play the game without paying additional money for boxes. In 2018, game developer EA decided to remove loot boxes from its game Star Wars Battlefront 2 after a massive outcry from the games' players. EA was also forced to remove loot boxes from its other titles in Belgium when the nation declared that the boxes were a form of gambling. Soon afterward, legislators in the United States pledged to look into loot boxes, threatening to make the practice illegal. Some accused the boxes for playing a role in an increased rate of gambling in young people.
Bibliography
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