Recently, a trio of complaints were lobbied against Electronic Arts, Jagex, and Miniclip, thanks to all three of these tech titans publishing commercials that ‘failed to disclose the presence of loot boxes’. The complaints were taken to the UK’s Advertising Standards Authority by Leon Y. Xiao, who was instrumental in Belgium’s nationwide ban on loot boxes.
Per the regulations, any advertisements for games that contain loot boxes must make it clear that they contain such mechanics.
‘We Must Act!’
On Twitter, Leon Y. Xiao spoke out against developers and publishers advertising their games without making the proper disclosures. He seethed that it’s almost impossible to enforce the law in certain countries where regulations are much looser, and gave up some eye-opening facts and figures about the state of play:
Following the ASA notifying EA, Jagex, and Miniclip of their respective infringements, each organisation got back to the regulatory body with an explanation – or an excuse – for their flouting of the rules.
(Per Eurogamer)
- EA: The ads were ‘mistakenly published without the prescribed disclosure as a result of human error.’
- Jagex: Ad creators were ‘constrained by time and space’ but the company insists it was compliant.
- Miniclip: Stressed that the ad showcased a game that can be played for free but still withdrew the ad.
Loot boxes – and similar mechanics – still contribute to one of the longest-living debates in gaming. Many have come to live with them, but for others, they’re a thorn in the side of the games industry that must be eradicated.
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