So I guess 90% of the games sold will now get that sticker. 😀

What's the main demographic of 'whales' anyway? 40-something gamers? Those guys will be glad the ESRB has their best interests at heart...once they've decided on the actual logo...

And this covers games with gambling?

So how does this work for digital version. lol

Shouldn't games with this also be rated "Adult" since you need to be 21 to gamble in America... or they trying to gloss this over with a band-aid... we already know the games that come with micro-transactions. the issue is they're gambling within games made for a younger audience

XP-200:

So how does this work for digital version. lol

Who buys games digitally these days :P ... most likely might have a tag, think most Steam games have tags on them stating this

moeppel:

Far too lightweight in my opinion. I'd have loved an 'odds-disclosure' at the very least if not outright making all titles containing microtransaction 'M for Mature' or 18(+) by default.

A group created by the very same publishers that have created this situation is making quite possibly the most softball / least business impactful decision to mitigate any potential legal blowback? Color me surprised, i never knew their only reason for existing was to protect the corporate interest of their founders.

Does this ESRB rating in any way protect the user? Except if parents are buying anything for the kids? Is it enforced in stores?

There has to be a big banner "Pay-to-Win Title". I take it as an abuse to pay for a game to be able to pay much more.

That'll teach 'em!

Jim Sterling did a good video on this. To sum it up a way too late milk toast solution that doesn't fix or resolve a god damn thing. The example he used was that the Witcher 3 would have this same ESRB rating logo as Battelfront 2 and the 'paid for content' in those two games couldn't be more different. He also mentioned what worth does this rating system have when, as we have seen with Battlefront 2 this 'paid for content' can be added / removed post release, i.e post rating. What a massive and utter waste of time. [youtube=wRJ9sJLfKU8]

Gambling laws should outright apply to loot boxes and anything of the sort.

sverek:

You have to buy item to do gambling, so gambling that involves money, should be covered. Gambling within game is fine and shouldnt be regulated. (change 4 rare items to legendary, etc)

dont kid your self loot boxes that have random odds in it to get items is "gambling" and either need to be stopped or government is gona put tax on those loot boxes, there is only hand full of states that allow gambling online. and those that do have to pay tax for it, game companies are using "loot" boxes as means to which have random odds getting what you after which is same as gambling, as means to make extra cash off there games, and are NOT being taxed for it. why you think EA got in hot water for this loot boxes in recent game they keep push the loot boxes farther and farther, which trigger government in to look into if these "loot" boxes are form of gambling. Not that any of this will stop the behavior, it more profitable to do in game transactions then make quailty game these days. now days most people just shit game out and tack on cash shop with loot box in it and go to bank with it.

sverek:

Gambling in Witcher is gambling? Cause you game in game money.

dont be stupid and compare spending real money in game on loot box which have random odds to getting what you want which is gambling online and gambling in witcher that has NO cash shop or loot boxes. Gambling is not legal in most states and few states it is is taxed, loot boxes at this point are nothing more then online gambling in game that has cash shop that ISNT taxed, and if you think the government isnt gona shut that down or get pieces profiets your crazy.

your idiot if you think spending really money on loot boxes, from cash shop with items that had random odds getting, is the same and gambling in game like witcher that dont have cash shop, the 2 are not the same plain and simple

sverek:

your idiot if you don't read what other write and hurry to jump a gun.

I read it I stand by you idiot you trying to compare gambling in witcher games that HAVE no cash shop let alone loot boxes, are being the same as game with microtransactions that have loot box with random odds of wining that need to use real cash to get as being the same thing, they are not.

Well, this escalated quickly out of nowhere. Lol

I never mentioned micro transactions, I said gambling...

sverek:

Well in that case pretty much all RPG will be gambling. Since they all have crafting scenarios where you gamble your in-game items for a better one. Is RNG also gambling? Cause I hate to miss when I had 95% accuracy.

I mean gambling, using money to gamble in a video game...

ubercake:

The ESRB means well, but many parents these days find it's very convenient to use any video games their child wants to play (independent of any ESRB rating system) to: 1) Shut the kid up. 2) Give parents endless amounts of time to catch up on social media and get their nails did. 3) Know where your child is at all times (glued to the TV or PC). Really, the biggest problem with micro-transactions is for adults with addictive personalities and the fostering of addictive personalities in children. Is it really different than states selling lottery tickets and telling people to "Gamble Responsibly" while offering an 800 number to help you with your gambling addiction? This is a token action the ESRB is taking in cooperation with the gaming companies employing micro-transactions to say "see we're doing something about this so it doesn't need gambling regulation". The ESRB can't parent the children. The ESRB is adding yet another label for parents - who never look at what they are buying their kids or their kids are buying - to ignore. For the parents who are involved, they evolve with the technology and stay in touch with what their kids are doing.

Exactly this, 100% agree.

Phill-7:

There has to be a big banner "Pay-to-Win Title". I take it as an abuse to pay for a game to be able to pay much more.

Not every lootbox contains any in game advantages. Overwatches lootboxes can be bought with real money or ig currency, they have random drops, but they are only offering visuals, no better stats, no new abilities. So no they're not pay2win just becaus they got lootboxes / gambling / micro transactions in there. Other games do, like EA's crap lineup soon will in each and every game. Battlefront does have pay2win, Battlefield too (as you can buy shortcut bundles with are not gambling though), but Battlefield loot crates do offer visuals as well as sometimes pieces for weapons that don't really add any ig advantage (two new melee weapons). All of those would get the same sticker on the box... doesn't make much sense tbh.

sverek:

So gambling in Witcher is "gambling"? Cause you gamble your in game money. Don't mix apples with oranges.

Exactly, don't mix it all up. For the gaming as pictured in game (Geralt plays Gwent, common RPG quest ideas like playing dice in Kingdom Come Deliverance or practically any other RPG, or similar stuff) might get a warning INSIDE of the usual ESRB / USK (Germany and partially, Austria) rating. Then you'd need an extra sticker to show you can gamble for real money, more or less "meta game gambling" to various degrees. In such a model W3 would have the first (a remark noticing that inside the game world you gamble, but not for real money), but not the second (new) sticker. Battlefront 2 would have no remark on the content rating, but indeed one for the "new" gambling sticker, just like Battlefield1 and Overwatch, for instance. Games like Hearthstone or Gwent would get both stickers as you basically are playing a randomised game that pretty much is the same as playing poker or some other card game; then getting the second sticker too for "loot boxes" (card packs / kegs). Sounds pretty logical to me, only that as long as it's not enforced in any way, like not selling to minors like alcohol / cigarettes, it's all just hot air and babble because it's useless to even spend 1$ on the design of the new logo. Just a PR stunt unless it's enforced, same as with any rule / law.

Is it gambling if you buy those lootboxes with iG currency (like Hearthstone's earned gold or OVerwatch's credits)? It can still be harmful to some (kids, weak minded people, idk) even if it just works with iG currency, then pulling you in to put in just a few bucks more... starting off as an entry point to make people less reluctant to use real money and start a microtransaction?