The excitement engages more Norwegians every day; Will they get their dream player or the weapon they long for in their favorite game? Some are lucky, but many have to pay to get what we want. The hunt for digital objects in games has become a billion-dollar industry. The phenomenon is called loot boxes and has been controversial for several years. Large and established gaming companies defy the growing criticism, and choose to continue with what many call a digital lottery – because no one is stopping them. – This is a hair-raising phenomenon that takes advantage of young people, say Emile Åm and Mathias Jørgensen in the leisure organization Hyperion. They are avid gamers, and both are tired of loot boxes. Here’s what you need to know about loot boxes They are a kind of digital surprise package that you can buy, but you don’t know what you’re getting. Loot boxes are not one thing, they come in different forms. What they have in common are mechanisms to get players to spend money. One is encouraged to pay for a chance to get better equipment and items without having to invest a lot of time in the games. The most famous and popular example that is often repeated is game publisher EA Games’ FIFA series. A game played by millions of young people and adults. Even though the criticism has rained down on EA Games, they are still betting on digital wonder packs. The explanation probably lies in the fact that loot boxes in sports games give them an income of over NOK 16 billion – a third of the company’s income in 2020. A student shows loot boxes in the computer game “League of Legends”, which give players access to new objects or equipment. Photo: MATS ARNESEN / news – Can trigger addiction Sports games are not alone. One of the most talked about launches in the last year is the mobile game “Diablo: Immortal”. Here you probably had to fork out over a million kroner to have the chance to upgrade your game character with the very best equipment. Large sums for something that is good for a certain period. The games are often broken up into seasons; there is always something better later. Allowing real money to make a difference to the gaming experience is highly controversial and something the majority of players dislike. As of today, the Diablo mobile game has the worst user reviews in history on the critic site metacritic. Although players are encouraged to make purchases, you can usually play without having to spend money. What varies is how much restrictions the companies place on the experience for free players. If you play enough football matches, for example, you will trigger free wonder packs. – The feeling of opening a loot box and getting a good outcome gives a good feeling. You want to do it again because it feels good, say Åm and Jørgensen in Hyperion. Emilie Åm (general secretary) and Mathias Jørgensen (chairman of the board) in Hyperion believe loot boxes must be regulated and labelled. Photo: Turi Grønbech / news It is this excitement and joy of loot boxes that psychologist and researcher Rune Mentzoni at UiB is most concerned about. – In the worst case, it can trigger gambling addiction. The mechanisms are the same. The researcher ended up in the media a few years ago after, among other things, he spent over NOK 30,000 on FIFA cards. In a research project, he calculated the chances of getting the game’s top players. He got neither Messi nor Ronaldo. – Many people spend a lot of money without knowing what they are paying for. This only exists to trick you into spending more money than you intended, says Mentzoni. He is getting anxious because nothing has been done. – There are those who spend so much money that they cannot afford normal expenses. LOOT BOXES IN FIFA: You can build your dream team with the help of digital soccer packs. The more expensive the packages, the better the players. EA GAMES – Urgent action Gaming is the most common leisure activity among Norwegian youth. Nearly nine out of ten in the age group 9 to 18 play computer games, according to the Norwegian Media Authority’s latest report. They state that one in four Norwegian children and young people have bought loot boxes. Internationally, the phenomenon is also hotly debated. Both Belgium and the Netherlands have introduced strict regulations. In Belgium, loot boxes are now banned. Here, game companies must either adapt the games without loot boxes, or refrain from publishing them. Last year, 20 consumer organizations in 18 countries also went out and demanded regulation. The Norwegian Consumer Council was one of those who sounded the alarm: “Consumers are being manipulated into spending large sums through aggressive marketing”. The Minister of Culture followed up and promised action. One year after the Consumer Council came up with a devastating report on loot boxes, nothing has happened. DIABLO: One of the world’s most popular role-playing games got its own version for mobile. It got a lot of attention when it turned out that you had to pay well to get the most out of the game. Photo: Activision Blizzard Should loot boxes be banned in Norway? Loot boxes could have been regulated in the new Gambling Act that came in this autumn. The Ministry of Culture chose to say no to this, because they believe that winnings in computer games that do not pay out fall outside the scope. – We agree that we need stricter regulation of loot boxes. This is difficult to regulate, so we simply need more knowledge, says State Secretary Gry Haugsbakken in the Ministry of Culture. She says that the government is now reviewing children’s consumer protection in digital media. – The government is funding a research project from SIFO which will look at how games are designed to encourage consumption in games. The EU also has loot boxes on the agenda. Haugsbakken says that this work will also be important for the measures being taken. Researcher Rune Mentzoni believes the EU track makes sense, but: – It takes too long. We have the opportunity to regulate nationally. The Consumer Council is right, this is a problem and it is urgent to get regulations in place, says Mentzoni. UiB researcher Rune Mentzoni believes loot boxes should be regulated as gambling. Photo: Lidvard Sandven / news Hungry for more games? Check these out:
ttn-69
– Measures are urgent – news Culture and entertainment
