Author Topic: Belgian Commission of Gambling investigates new Star Wars game  (Read 1997 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Kurt Russell

  • Senior Member
Belgian Commission of Gambling investigates new Star Wars game
« on: November 20, 2017, 01:28:53 PM »
I got this from my "site", so I can't direct link. Soz!

Quote
The Belgian Commission for Gambling opens an investigation for the new Star Wars Battlefront II game. In this game you are able to pay to improve your character or vehicle. This mechanism is based on chance, since you don't know what you will get, also another popular game, Overwatch, will be investigated.

The game Star Wars Battlefront II will be available in stores this Friday and is seen as one of the biggest games this year. In this game you will be able to grow as a player and improve your character. So can you as an example get new weapons or upgrade your vehicle.

But if you don't want to do this, or don't have time to improve your character while playing, you can buy improvements in the so called 'Loot Crates'. These are virtual boxes which you can purchase without knowing what you will get.

And that's where lies the problem, says the Commission for Gambling. Because you want certain things but you don't know what you will get, this is essentially gambling. "It's all dependent on coincidence how well you will be able to play the game. And in that case it falls under the rules of gambling" says Peter Naessens, Director of the Commision of Gambling.

Investigation started

According to the Commission of Gambling holds this game a risk for minors, whom under social pressure spend a lot of money. That's why they start an investigation on the game. "If there is talk of gambling, then it cannot be done without a permission from the Commission of Gambling" says Naessens.

The investigation of the Commission of Gambling can in the worst case scenario lead to EA paying hundreds of thousands euro as a fine, or that the game will be removed from store shelves. Electronic Arts, the creator of 'Battlefront 2" has not given a reaction.
woke

kingv

  • Senior Member
Re: Belgian Commission of Gambling investigates new Star Wars game
« Reply #1 on: November 20, 2017, 01:34:11 PM »
Going to make waffles in appreciation.

This was bound to happen somewhere, eventually.

Rufus

  • 🙈🙉🙊
  • Senior Member
Re: Belgian Commission of Gambling investigates new Star Wars game
« Reply #2 on: November 20, 2017, 02:03:44 PM »
I wouldn't hold my breath on this.

Corporal

  • Member
Re: Belgian Commission of Gambling investigates new Star Wars game
« Reply #3 on: November 20, 2017, 04:00:50 PM »
Eh, it's something. I'm not getting my hopes up, but at least the  Brits, French and Belgians are aware of the issue. My German politicians are still too busy crawling up their own collective arse to care.
!list

Boredfrom

  • Senior Member
Re: Belgian Commission of Gambling investigates new Star Wars game
« Reply #4 on: November 20, 2017, 04:43:45 PM »
I wouldn't hold my breath on this.

Yeah, but at least is something and keep the ball rolling.

Raist

  • Winner of the Baited Award 2018
  • Senior Member
Re: Belgian Commission of Gambling investigates new Star Wars game
« Reply #5 on: November 20, 2017, 07:17:59 PM »
This won't go anywhere.


Rufus

  • 🙈🙉🙊
  • Senior Member
Re: Belgian Commission of Gambling investigates new Star Wars game
« Reply #7 on: November 21, 2017, 06:17:39 PM »
Their material complaints seems to be that you don't know what you can expect to get and that mixing of gambling and gaming is especially dangerous to children. Not going to eat crow on this yet.

Boredfrom

  • Senior Member
Re: Belgian Commission of Gambling investigates new Star Wars game
« Reply #8 on: November 21, 2017, 06:34:22 PM »
Is a gigantic step, dude.

Let's Cyber

  • Banned (duration pending)
  • Senior Member
Re: Belgian Commission of Gambling investigates new Star Wars game
« Reply #9 on: November 21, 2017, 06:49:55 PM »
If Shadow of War hadn't come out 5 weeks ago and primed the community's outrage (mostly on youtube), would EA have gotten away with their shitty progression system in Battlefront II? It feels like it took a several of these full priced AAA exploitive loot box games in a short span of time to really get the ball rolling. Overwatch always could fall back on "it's just cosmetics" but that isn't the case for some of these new games.

The fact EA had to temporarily back down seems like a huge win, hopefully we get more government oversight on these type of things.

Joe Molotov

  • I'm much more humble than you would understand.
  • Administrator
Re: Belgian Commission of Gambling investigates new Star Wars game
« Reply #10 on: November 21, 2017, 06:50:24 PM »
Their material complaints seems to be that you don't know what you can expect to get and that mixing of gambling and gaming is especially dangerous to children. Not going to eat crow on this yet.

There are no civilians in the lewt box war.
©@©™

Rufus

  • 🙈🙉🙊
  • Senior Member
Re: Belgian Commission of Gambling investigates new Star Wars game
« Reply #11 on: November 21, 2017, 06:51:45 PM »
Is a gigantic step, dude.
This sounds ridiculous, but I would contradict this with: Kinder Surprise exists.

Best case, they have to drop it and take the F2P schlock advertising to children with it. What I expect, if anything, is that they have to disclose what's in the boxes (maybe even the drop rates) and be rated M (or equivalent).

benjipwns

  • your bright ideas always burn me
  • Senior Member
Re: Belgian Commission of Gambling investigates new Star Wars game
« Reply #12 on: November 21, 2017, 11:37:01 PM »
This sounds ridiculous, but I would contradict this with: Kinder Surprise exists.
Not in the United States, they're banned and illegal to import due to their danger :american

Cerveza mas fina

  • I don't care for Islam tbqh
  • filler
Re: Belgian Commission of Gambling investigates new Star Wars game
« Reply #13 on: November 22, 2017, 01:51:52 AM »
this will be bigger then you think rufus

ea and others prob already shitting their pants at the prospect of eu regulation

difference between this and kinder surprise, football cards etc is that kinder surprise is not linked to your credit card for one

pilonv1

  • I love you just the way I am
  • Senior Member
Re: Belgian Commission of Gambling investigates new Star Wars game
« Reply #14 on: November 22, 2017, 01:57:16 AM »
EA doing good by gamers :bow2
itm

Cerveza mas fina

  • I don't care for Islam tbqh
  • filler
Re: Belgian Commission of Gambling investigates new Star Wars game
« Reply #15 on: November 22, 2017, 02:02:48 AM »
in all honesty though it is gambling and should be regulated the fuck out

CatsCatsCats

  • 🤷‍♀️
  • Senior Member
Re: Belgian Commission of Gambling investigates new Star Wars game
« Reply #16 on: November 22, 2017, 10:35:02 AM »
Interesting... kill pay to win

Great Rumbler

  • Dab on the sinners
  • Global Moderator
Re: Belgian Commission of Gambling investigates new Star Wars game
« Reply #17 on: November 24, 2017, 12:16:05 AM »
According to IGN, Hawaii State Representative Chris Lee is “looking at legislation” that could prohibit the sale of games to players that are under 21 years of age, and possibly restrict the inclusion of gambling elements.  The gambling elements seem to refer to what Lee believes are present in Star Wars Battlefront II’s loot boxes.

In his press announcement, Lee specifically mentioned EA and Star Wars Battlefront and claimed that he and his team had also been in conversation with other U.S. state legislators who were examining similar options to curb what he described as ‘predatory behaviour’ by game publishers.

He also said that he was concerned about the impact these games had on players under 21 in terms of gambling addiction and claimed “This game is a Star Wars-themed online casino designed to lure kids into spending money.”
dog

seagrams hotsauce

  • Senior Member
Re: Belgian Commission of Gambling investigates new Star Wars game
« Reply #18 on: November 24, 2017, 12:54:45 AM »
Honestly, I fucking hate lootboxes, but the argument that lootboxes are gambling is kinda corny to me. Gambling is fun as fuck and lootboxes always suck shit

Corporal

  • Member
Re: Belgian Commission of Gambling investigates new Star Wars game
« Reply #19 on: November 24, 2017, 03:46:09 AM »
Reducing the problem to lootboxes is disingenuous, but they are undeniably the currently most visible symptom. A replaceable one at that.

This is mostly about turning videogames into a gambling front. I hope the people in charge realise that instead of going after the obvious and utterly pointless short term solution. I also hope they don't slam the door shut in an overreaction. They just need to establish a framework that works for everyone. The industry is clearly unable and unwilling to do it themselves.
!list

thisismyusername

  • GunOn™! Apply directly to forehead!
  • Senior Member
Re: Belgian Commission of Gambling investigates new Star Wars game
« Reply #20 on: November 24, 2017, 03:43:00 PM »
If Shadow of War hadn't come out 5 weeks ago and primed the community's outrage (mostly on youtube), would EA have gotten away with their shitty progression system in Battlefront II? It feels like it took a several of these full priced AAA exploitive loot box games in a short span of time to really get the ball rolling. Overwatch always could fall back on "it's just cosmetics" but that isn't the case for some of these new games.

The fact EA had to temporarily back down seems like a huge win, hopefully we get more government oversight on these type of things.

Doesn't really matter. EA should've gotten shit from the word "go" as soon as they beta revealed the Star Cards had levels in addition to the lootbox bullshit. Fuck that Gacha mechanic in a $60 purchase.

hampster

  • Senior Member
Re: Belgian Commission of Gambling investigates new Star Wars game
« Reply #21 on: November 24, 2017, 05:00:10 PM »
What are the chances a presidential candidate in 2020 has a twitch channel ??? I'd watch Bernie Sanders go through Dark Souls and rant about lootboxes
Zzz


Corporal

  • Member
Re: Belgian Commission of Gambling investigates new Star Wars game
« Reply #23 on: November 27, 2017, 10:12:05 PM »
We will need an industry-funded research institute to provide us with unbiased data and statistics. :doge

spoiler (click to show/hide)
That's it, I'm watching "thank you for smoking" tonight.

"He's been researching tobacco for thirty years and hasn't found any conclusive evidence linking cigarettes and cancer. This guy's a genius. The man could disprove gravity."
[close]
!list

Trent Dole

  • the sharpest tool in the shed
  • Senior Member
Re: Belgian Commission of Gambling investigates new Star Wars game
« Reply #24 on: November 28, 2017, 01:59:40 AM »
What are the chances a presidential candidate in 2020 has a twitch channel ??? I'd watch Bernie Sanders go through Dark Souls and rant about lootboxes
Not entirely implausible, maybe maced Baked Alaska will run for something. :doge
Hi

Human Snorenado

  • Stay out of Malibu, Lebowski
  • Icon
Re: Belgian Commission of Gambling investigates new Star Wars game
« Reply #25 on: November 28, 2017, 07:55:11 PM »


yar

Positive Touch

  • Woo Papa
  • Senior Member
Re: Belgian Commission of Gambling investigates new Star Wars game
« Reply #26 on: November 28, 2017, 09:14:58 PM »
lmao it has a shit ton of lag at release? battlefield 4 got raked over the coals for that same reason but hey lets push out another shitty product with the same problem


HOW DO YOU HAVE A MULTIPLAYER-FOCUSED GAME WITH BAD NETCODE IN 2017
pcp

benjipwns

  • your bright ideas always burn me
  • Senior Member
Re: Belgian Commission of Gambling investigates new Star Wars game
« Reply #27 on: November 28, 2017, 10:44:23 PM »
Battlefield 1 did too. I can't imagine how bad it would have been had they not done that huge stress test on all three platforms simultaneously that they then extended twice as they were patching it in pretty much real time. (This was after two earlier console-only tests too. And then they did one more console-only test I think a month before release.)

The Battlefront II beta was like a month and a half before release but I forgot about it so I have no clue how it was.

Dunkey nearly made me orgasm from that overdubbing of CoD unlocking/leveling ups. He's dangerous sometimes. Like being the only person to remember to always use that Han Solo song.

spoiler (click to show/hide)
dat tie-fighter crash :lawd
spoiler (click to show/hide)
reminded me of one of my favorite Giant Bomb moments:
[close]
[close]

The Sceneman

  • Did my wife send you?
  • Senior Member
Re: Belgian Commission of Gambling investigates new Star Wars game
« Reply #28 on: November 29, 2017, 05:23:49 AM »

You need to open lootboxes to get that advantage.

:rofl

Someone should create a troll project with this gameplay model. Get a lootbox in the match, you get the better netcode. Someone recently did a pretty funny lootbox Doom mod - http://www.pcgamer.com/this-classic-doom-mod-replaces-weapon-pickups-with-loot-boxes/
#1

benjipwns

  • your bright ideas always burn me
  • Senior Member
Re: Belgian Commission of Gambling investigates new Star Wars game
« Reply #29 on: December 02, 2017, 07:46:29 AM »

Eel O'Brian

  • Southern Permasexual
  • Senior Member
Re: Belgian Commission of Gambling investigates new Star Wars game
« Reply #30 on: December 02, 2017, 08:49:43 AM »
Man, BF4 on PS4 was bad at launch. Like infuriating levels of rubububurubububberbanding. If this is anywhere near that level, it's just one more reason to skip this. If, you know, you didn't have enough reasons already.
sup

Joe Molotov

  • I'm much more humble than you would understand.
  • Administrator
Re: Belgian Commission of Gambling investigates new Star Wars game
« Reply #31 on: December 02, 2017, 03:46:50 PM »
HOW DO YOU HAVE A MULTIPLAYER-FOCUSED GAME WITH BAD NETCODE IN 2017

You need to open lootboxes to get that advantage.

Once Net Neutrality is gone, who knows?
©@©™