FIFA is under fire again for loot box gambling with two lawsuits filed in France

[Cal Jeffrey]

In context: Despite their controversial nature, loot boxes in video games continue to be a thing. Companies make millions from transactions that do not guarantee anything of real value. Likewise, governments and individuals continue to fight game makers over the stained mechanic.

The battle over the ethics of using loot boxes in video games continues as two new lawsuits have been filed in France against EA. The separate cases both target the publisher’s FIFA franchise alleging that the microtransactional system in its Ultimate Team mode (FUT) is a form of unregulated gambling.

The suits claim that to have any chance of winning in FUT, users must purchase player bundles that are randomly generated. Furthermore, one of the lawyers contends that the system is rigged in such a way that it encourages players to spend more money to up their chances of getting a star player.

“The developers of this game mode have created an illusionary and particularly addictive system,” attorney Victor Zagury told French sports-news outlet L’Équipe. “The more you pay, the more you have the possibility of getting big players.”

Zagury claims his client spent over 600 euros in five months without receiving a “big player.” He adds, “We believe that a gambling game has been integrated into this video game because buying packs is nothing more than a bet. Today, an 11 or 12-year-old teenager can, without any restriction, play FUT, and commit money because there is no parental control system in this mode.”

Zagury’s client says that the best player his €600 investment got him was some unheard of nobody. He admits that he is addicted to loot box gambling. He also claims that he knows people who have spent thousands of euros on FIFA Ultimate Team player packs, which is not unheard of in the game.

Loot boxes in video games have always been a hot button issue with gamers and governments alike. Several countries have deemed the controversial mechanic a form of illegal gambling. Yet companies such as EA consider it both legal and “ethical.” The ESRB has also sided with developers saying that it cannot consider loot boxes gambling as players do receive something of value for their money even if they "don't want" it.

It would seem that the only way that game makers would abandon the system is if players collectively quit buying loot boxes, but that is not likely to happen.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/83881-fifa-under-fire-again-loot-box-gambling-two.html

 

[cliffordcooley]

ESRB has also sided with developers saying that it cannot consider loot boxes gambling as players do receive something of value for their money even if they "don't want" it.

If the player doesn't want it, they will likely discard it somehow. In which case they didn't receive anything for their expenditure. But like all gambling, if they are willing to loose. It was their own fault. My complaint is they are ruining it for everyone else.

 

[ShagnWagn]

Any P2L (pay to lose) game where you are spending money for cheat codes (an unfair advantage) should be fined for 10% or more of the value of the company. Then they need to cease and shut down the game immediately until this industry can get its love of money under control.

 

[Adi6293]

Ohh cry me a river, dont buy FIFA problem solved.......if you're stupid enough to spend €600 on FUT then I do not feel sorry for you at all

 

[Porkous]

"But like all gambling, if they are willing to loose. It was their own fault."
This is the culprit right here. Actually our habits should protect us from some sort of behaviors, right? Wrong. We are addicted to cheap thrills, and the forbidden apple. IMO, all the benefits a company gets from a client, should be noted under a sort of long list of agreements that the client must understand, be informed of, and comply. In most cases, an addict does not recognize that he is controlled by addiction. The last thing we want is our people be controlled by the...