Gambling: Loot Boxes & Gwent
This topic isn't specifically about Gwent, but rather about all Online Collectible Card Games (CCG).
Preface
Throughout the years (some) game studios have tried to find new ways to generate profit. It all began with creating expansion packs to existing games. With the rise of the internet and the home user's increasing connection speed, it became easier to deliver content to the user. This resulted in games being released in an incomplete state. Bugs could easily be patched after the release and, more importantly, (day one) DLC was easy to make and deliver to turn an extra profit. This has gone as far as studios offering season passes from day one. But I like to think of a season pass as an incremental expansion. And then there is CDPR, who actually released a whole expansion (bigger than most average games) as a DLC.
Loot Boxes
The new trend in gaming is studios offering loot boxes, not only for multiplayer games but also singleplayer games. This was met with a lot of hostility in the gaming community, like the controversy surrounding Star Wars: Battlefront II. There is one genre in particular that was already using this concept long before loot boxes became a thing: the Online Collectible Card Games. That genre in particular might be the only one that doesn't have a choice regarding this matter other than switching to Living Card Games. Here's my first question: What will be the impact of the recent loot boxes controversy on the CCG genre in the future?
Gambling
To answer part of the question of what the impact of loot boxes is on the gaming scene. Various countries have already taken steps against these loot boxes by stating that it's gambling. China wants transparency about the drop-rate of items within the loot boxes. Shadowverse already shows the drop-rates. Seeing as Gwent is going big in China, I am wondering how this affects the game. Other countries, like the Netherlands forbid online gambling altogether, but allow loot boxes because they do not generate economic value to their users unlike gambling (e.g. Poker). Belgium wants to take it a step further by outlawing all loot boxes. What are the rules in your country regarding online gambling and loot boxes?
Final Thoughts
Loot boxes are a bad trend in the gaming industry. However, I don't see booster packs (in CCG) as the same thing. Maybe because it's inherent in the genre itself. As for whether or not it's gambling, well technically it is, but I do like the Dutch approach, stating that if it doesn't generate economic value to their users (like Poker), it's not classified as such. What do you think about loot boxes, whether or not booster packs are the same thing and how it relates to gambling?
This topic isn't specifically about Gwent, but rather about all Online Collectible Card Games (CCG).
Preface
Throughout the years (some) game studios have tried to find new ways to generate profit. It all began with creating expansion packs to existing games. With the rise of the internet and the home user's increasing connection speed, it became easier to deliver content to the user. This resulted in games being released in an incomplete state. Bugs could easily be patched after the release and, more importantly, (day one) DLC was easy to make and deliver to turn an extra profit. This has gone as far as studios offering season passes from day one. But I like to think of a season pass as an incremental expansion. And then there is CDPR, who actually released a whole expansion (bigger than most average games) as a DLC.
Loot Boxes
The new trend in gaming is studios offering loot boxes, not only for multiplayer games but also singleplayer games. This was met with a lot of hostility in the gaming community, like the controversy surrounding Star Wars: Battlefront II. There is one genre in particular that was already using this concept long before loot boxes became a thing: the Online Collectible Card Games. That genre in particular might be the only one that doesn't have a choice regarding this matter other than switching to Living Card Games. Here's my first question: What will be the impact of the recent loot boxes controversy on the CCG genre in the future?
Gambling
To answer part of the question of what the impact of loot boxes is on the gaming scene. Various countries have already taken steps against these loot boxes by stating that it's gambling. China wants transparency about the drop-rate of items within the loot boxes. Shadowverse already shows the drop-rates. Seeing as Gwent is going big in China, I am wondering how this affects the game. Other countries, like the Netherlands forbid online gambling altogether, but allow loot boxes because they do not generate economic value to their users unlike gambling (e.g. Poker). Belgium wants to take it a step further by outlawing all loot boxes. What are the rules in your country regarding online gambling and loot boxes?
Final Thoughts
Loot boxes are a bad trend in the gaming industry. However, I don't see booster packs (in CCG) as the same thing. Maybe because it's inherent in the genre itself. As for whether or not it's gambling, well technically it is, but I do like the Dutch approach, stating that if it doesn't generate economic value to their users (like Poker), it's not classified as such. What do you think about loot boxes, whether or not booster packs are the same thing and how it relates to gambling?