Not only does Electronic Arts have the most disliked comment in the history of Reddit, but now some countries are turning this frustration into legal action against a core function of many of its games. Loot boxes, specifically the ones available for sale, are at risk of being banned in parts of Europe, and now one US Senator wants loot box reform.

New Hampshire Senator Maggie Hassan asked the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) to “review the completeness of the board’s ratings and policies” in relation to loot boxes and examine the effects they could have on players. In response, the ESRB has elected to label games that will include in-game purchases, similar to how iPhone games are labeled with an in-app purchases tag. While this is a major industry development, it’s far from the end of the loot box discussion, since the ESRB has also stated that it does not consider loot boxes to be gambling. 

The debate arose after Star Wars Battlefront II unveiled an unpopular system for unlocking abilities and upgrades. For 60,000 in-game “Credits,” players could purchase heroes such as Darth Vader, Han Solo and Yoda. Players calculated that it would take roughly 40 hours of playtime to unlock a single hero, which Reddit users complained was more time than anyone with a day job could commit to a game. What’s more, players were able to purchase loot boxes, which contained in-game abilities and upgrades, giving them an advantage online. The community boycotted the game, accusing EA of exploiting them with a “pay-to-win” strategy, in which players can spend real-world money to unlock these upgrades. According to Fortune.com, the game sold around 882,000 units during its first month, almost half of the anticipated 1.7 million. With a Metacritic score of 68, the game is no critical darling either.

For a time, it seemed as though the boycott worked. EA removed microtransactions from the game. Many thought the removal would be permanent; however, as soon as they were removed, EA announced plans to revive them at a later date. 

Now Battlefront II’s revamped microtransactions are among us. Copying the style of Overwatch, the only items players can receive from loot boxes are cosmetic items, and all game-affecting items can only be unlocked through gameplay. Yes, players can still purchase loot boxes using real-world currency, but it won’t give them an advantage in the actual game. 

The reintroduction of microtransactions might seem like a loss for the gaming community, but it’s because of Battlefront II’s public relations nightmare that gamers have realized their effect on the industry. Players feel the freedom to question the choices these companies make to an extent that hasn’t been seen before. Players expect better, and if the industry wants to move forward, higher expectations are the first step.

The results of those expectations are already being seen. Lawmakers have taken notice of the issue and are trying to ensure that it doesn’t have a negative effect on gamers, particularly younger gamers. Hawaii is taking bigger leaps by introducing two House Bills and two Senate Bills that would enforce labels on games that contain microtransactions and not allow them to be sold to players under 21, according to the Hawaii Tribune-Herald.

These bills, if passed, could affect game sales in a way that forces publishers to reevaluate microtransactions. It’s unclear whether these actions will be particularly effective, but they keep the loot box conversation relevant. If these bills want to gain any traction, relevance could make all the difference.

Many of the major publishers seem intent on maintaining these in-game microtransactions, despite their unpopularity. Now they may be forced to listen to the law. The gaming community can only speculate what actions will be taken to either avoid or maintain the economy surrounding microtransactions until these laws are decided. EA’s backtracking on Battlefront II shows no remorse, but a possible admission of guilt. It’s uncertain whether this will extend into future releases, but loot boxes, more likely than not, will not be going away. They’ll just have a cosmetic overhaul.

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