Regulating ‘loot boxes’

[Vigilante]

Just thought I would have a bit of a rant as I always feel better when it’s off my chest.

I have been playing Dominations for 4.5 years now and do enjoy the game. I recognise that the developers and employees of Nexon do need to be paid and earn a profit as they are after all a business. However, there is no actual regulatory system in most countries for online gaming as I understand it. There is some discussion in the media to ‘loot box’ laws being introduced so that the vulnerable (adicts, children etc) are protected, but as far as I can see, there is no legislation regarding this in most countries.

most rational free thinking adults can figure out that a 5 step process to obtain that ‘war artifact’ at $500 US (example) Is indeed grotesque, not to mention that it will only make a difference to alliance success in war for a limited time (until the alliance trophy level is reciprocated in the match-up system), and will not buy into it! Do you know what you can buy with that $500 in the gaming world??

But the Company seems to be solely about profit (I have seen the quarterly reports) whilst sacrificing moral responsibility. The vulnerable are targets.. kids who don’t know any better and the addicted that get that temporary high after a purchase but then are brought back to earth with a thud when the reality sets in! That money was supposed to be for their rent, their children’s school books, their bills! Depression sets in and worse.

It seems to be all about the bottom line. There is no doubt, more people would be purchasing the add-ons if they were appropriately priced.. $10 for a Mansion $20 for that legendary artifact, Gems at 10% of their current costs..
There would be wide spread purchases across the Dominations community!
But it seems that a decision has been made that because there is more profit in charging grotesque amounts that target the vulnerable mostly, this is ok!!??

Does anyone else see the immorality in this approach?
..and can anyone please direct me to legislation in regards to regulating gaming businesses (any country)?

Rant over lol. Thanks for reading

 

[Rassmasta]

Good luck.

 

[King Crimson]

If adults are spending money on games instead of their kids then they shouldn’t be responsible for kids.
Caveat emptor.

 

[Uhuru]

There should be no such sales at all, neither for $500 nor for $20. In addition to the moral aspect, there is also the problem of game balance due to this trade. The best solution would be to pay for a subscription. This would also solve the problem of cheating. But the merchants thought that the subscription will bring less money than in-game sales.
As for the law, my opinion is that in-game sales should be completely prohibited and legally considered as fraud. Since the product is the Game itself, you can only sell the Game - a one-time payment or subscription.

 

[Vigilante]

If adults are spending money on games instead of their kids then they shouldn’t be responsible for kids.
Caveat emptor.

I’m unsure of the relevance of your opinion.. or your position on the subject or if this is bait and is designed to detract from the points I made? I’m also unsure what ‘trusted by nexon’ means. But thanks for your input anyway

 

[Vigilante]

There should be no such sales at all, neither for $500 nor for $20. In addition to the moral aspect, there is also the problem of game balance due to this trade. The best solution would be to pay for a subscription. This would also solve the problem of cheating. But the merchants thought that the subscription will bring less money than in-game sales.
As for the law, my opinion is that in-game sales should be completely prohibited and legally considered as fraud. Since the product is the Game itself, you can only sell the Game - a one-time payment or subscription.

I completely concur

 

[Ramesses the Great]

I agree with your post. Unfortunately, DomiNations has chosen the P2W path a couple years ago, with the shift towards premium TT and War Museum. What worsens the problem is the fact that their pricing is ridiculous. Hundreds/thousands of $ are needed, and often spent by top heavy teams to maintain an edge.

Cosmetics spending and pay to advance could've been enough. Many more successful games use that approach.

Imagine a $5 per month to give you 30% bonuses on everything + some cosmetic items. A huge number of players would buy that, instead of 100 people buying the $200 war artifact.

 

[King Crimson]

I'm giving my point of view in response to your claims that Nexon is acting irresponsibly. I believe we are responsible for our own actions and we should own what we do. This is the General Discussion section after all.
And no, I don't work for Nexon.

 

[Vigilante]

“We are all responsible for our own actions” Ok, with that mindset, why not legalise drugs without prescription, or allow guns with out restrictions?? ..maybe because we have a responsibility as a society to protect the vulnerable and to keep the idiots and those that would take advantage of people, in check?

 

[Black tiger]

I wholeheartedly agree, Vigilante. This P2W and extreme price gouging strategy is reprehensible. The decision to cater to the rich few destroys the game and actually harms the fools enticed to spend above their means. This will only worsen. Posting about it will not help at all. They will not listen, acknowledge or change - and you will get little empathy from other players. But, cheers, you see it as it is.

 

[Vigilante]

I wholeheartedly agree, Vigilante. This P2W and extreme price gouging strategy is reprehensible. The decision to cater to the rich few destroys the game and actually harms the fools enticed to spend above their means. This will only worsen. Posting about it will not help at all. They will not listen, acknowledge or change - and you will get little empathy from other players. But, cheers, you see it as it is.

You are not wrong.. They will not change of their own volition. Which is why I asked the question about any regulations being imposed from various countries. I think lobbying in this direction would be far better served. I also do my part in-game by not buying extras at all any more as a matter of principle, as I know do countless others. But this passive aggressive approach as well as any future lobbying is and will be a long road!

 

[King Crimson]

Why do people always have to make ridiculous statements? Drugs? Guns? Really?
Anyway, rather than protecting people it would be better if we educated them to stand on their own. Protecting people only goes so far - at some point people have to take responsibility for their own lives. Protecting people or making allowances for them is actually doing them a disservice, long term. Even birds push their babies out of the nest.
Feed a man for a lifetime, not a day.

 

[Cleopatra]

I don’t care for loot boxes. In fact, I’ve never bought one for any game ever. I got the estate for $50 because it’s the better deal and it’s kept forever. But, this is a free to play game. One can do quite well without paying anything. They can’t run a business for free, so the micro transactions have to fund that model. What’s unreasonably priced to you may be perfectly reasonable to someone else. Anyone who disagrees with their pricing simply need not buy it. I see your point about the vulnerable: the addicted, the underage. However, people can get addicted to ANYthing. There is help out there for addictions. Children should be policed by their parents. Many countries DO have regulations on loot boxes, U.S.A. Included. This game never used to tell you the probabilities, now it does. Other countries may restrict the amount one can spend per month, like China has a renminbi monthly spending limit on some games.
The simple fact is people have been gambling not long after currency was invented. It must be human nature. There are some regulations in place, but loot boxes aren’t going away any time soon because gambling isn’t going away any time soon, either.

 

[Uhuru]

This game does not belong to the category of gambling. Loot boxes are a hidden gambling game that is actually a violation of the law, but they do not formally violate it, I believe that saves the hook of lawyers. Or they just get away with it.

 

[kilgore_trout]

The only lootboxes ive seen in this game are bought with rubies, given after a war ends or as a video reward. The tier system is rediculiously antiquated but not a loot box. When they start selling war hall chests for crowns than maybe youll have a case but until then, pay attention to what your kids are doing and let adults spend their money how they want.

That said I do agree that this game charges way too much and actively alienates new users by forcing them to play through years of dead ages in order to be competitive.