The Lootbox System

Discussion in 'Gaming' started by Fellangel, Jan 9, 2017.

  1. Fellangel Bichael May

    Joined:
    Apr 3, 2007
    Location:
    US of A
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    So it seems that games recently have made the transition to the lootbox system. For those who may not know, this system is where players earn/buy boxes in game that can earn them some in-game items whether it may be weapons, items, skins, and such. Mostly focused for games in the multiplayer genre.

    In the current state where video games are becoming more expensive to produce, one can see this as another way of obtaining revenue. As stated, the boxes can be earned without pay albeit requiring leveling up or earning it some other way while it can easily be bought with real currency. Though even so, these boxes are all randomized on what items you get.

    At the moment, I'm somewhat not all keen of this system. Since this was introduced (I don't remember when it started or was popularized. Perhaps the Battlefield 4 battlepacks?), I found the process of this more fitting in a Free-to-Play game. More time means more earning of boxes, but for those without much time, they can only get so much. As stated, it's the reason why F2P games can optimize this system. Cut down much of the time with money.

    It's clear that a "completed game" is no longer worth $60 value since the rise of DLCs. I can see a bit of a reasoning of having this system with no DLCs (ex. Overwatch), but games with both DLCs and Lootboxes is slightly pushing it in my opinion (ex. Uncharted 4, Battlefield 1).

    I just want to see the general opinion on how they feel about the Lootbox system. It's slightly irritating to get what you want by pure chance (I'm looking at you Overwatch even though I love you) especially when you cannot buy it directly with real currency.
     
  2. Hayabusa Venomous

    Joined:
    Feb 3, 2008
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    Cisgender Male
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    I think Loot Boxes should not be in games that aren't free-to-play.

    I've dealt with them for more than seven months now in Overwatch, a game I paid $60 for, and the fact that I've had to basically pray that each Loot Box wasn't just a bunch of sprays or player icons or voice lines that I don't care about feels ridiculous. Their solution of giving you currency if you earn duplicate items also is very unsatisfying: they give you such meager amounts compared to the prices of things I actually want, like skins or highlight intros. And the first event they had with the Summer Games, in which you couldn't even buy any of the limited edition items was *extremely* frustrating: you basically had zero power to ensure you would get any of the items that you wanted in that event, and once the event ended, tough luck. I'm still pissed that I wasn't "lucky enough" to get McCree or Genji's skins. At the very least Blizzard listened to complaints and has made items in every following event purchasable, but I wish they'd at least add the option of using real currency for in-game currency instead of just buying more Loot Boxes, though before that I think you should just get a certain amount of currency from playing the game instead of hoping the next Loot Box isn't completely worthless to you.