Posted on 05/11/2019 8:11:12 AM PDT by BenLurkin
Hawley's bill, called The Protecting Children from Abusive Games Act, would ban loot boxes and "pay-to-win" microtransactions in titles targeted at or popular among minors, likening the business model to addiction.
Hawley cites the popular mobile title Candy Crush Saga as an example, as it allows players to purchase a $150 "Luscious Bundle" to make the game easier, though it is certainly far from the only title to offer these kinds of spending options. A large number of mobile games are designed to encourage microtransactions, and many of today's most popular PC and console games, including PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds, Rocket League, and Overwatch, give players the option to purchase loot boxes that contain a randomized assortment of cosmetic items.
Hawley's bill will first need to pass the Senate and then the House of Representatives before potentially becoming a law, but this isn't the first time US lawmakers have taken aim at the practice. Last February, Hawaii state representative Chris Lee put forward a bill seeking to limit the sale of video games with "gambling-like mechanisms" to people under the age of 21. Other countries have also undertaken investigations into whether or not loot boxes constituted gambling.
(Excerpt) Read more at gamespot.com ...
gnip
Almost Heaven....
Never played those games. Is actual money exchanged? If not, wth? Nothing better for congresscritters to do with their precious time?
Am in Tamriel right now. Haven’t spent a dime on “crown crates”......yet.
Yes.
I don’t think this bill will pass the House, let alone the senate.
To micro-managey...
Whats a loot box? Is that the box of nudie mags in the back of dads closet?
There is a very simple solution to this.
Never, ever, under any circumstances... connect a cell phone to a credit card.
Problem solved.
I have played these games for years and never once purchased extra moves.
I’m just thrilled we live in a country with no poverty, safe streets, no debt, a secure border, law enforcement happily obeying the law, Muslims around the world living peacefully with their neighbors and general perfection except for this one last problem with Loot Boxes in games.
“Never played those games. Is actual money exchanged? If not, wth? Nothing better for congresscritters to do with their precious time”
Yes, actual money is exchanged.
I play WGT golf on my iPad. For free, you get crappy clubs and awful golf balls, making it almost impossible to advance very far in skills and club competitions. You can compete to win coins for some items. You can watch hundreds of advertising videos to gain the credits you need to buy decent clubs and balls. Or...
You can pay real money to buy the credits needed to purchase decent clubs and replace lost or worn out balls.
Example: Good golf balls cost between 600 and 1000 credits for a sleeve of three. You get 2 credits for watching a commercial. A sleeve of balls lasts about 72 holes if you don’t hit them in the woods or water. It costs about $10 to buy 1000 credits. You can do the math. It adds up fast. Either watch 500 commercials or pay $10 for a sleeve of golf balls.
Thousands of people worldwide are playing every day.
If all these games, habits, songs etc etc are so suggestive that the masses will pick up a ‘habit’ from them, how come people of my generation are not all cowboys or why don’t we break into song whenever our little hearts desire?
An earlier generation suggested (from the movies) that all one needed to do to raise money was sit around and ‘put on a show’, conveniently the ‘little gaggle of people’ had just the right characters to either put on a grand opera or a hoedown or whatever crept into their devious minds.
A character from the day was once asked why he robbed banks...Willy Sutton was heard to say ‘Because that is where the money is’.
All the girls ‘loved’ Johnny Mathis and us guys ‘enjoyed’ BUT no one tried to push what JM was and ‘we’ didn’t riot when it was figured out he was actually aiming his songs at the guys NOT the gals.
I remember the ‘old people’ and their reaction to Elvis and his gyrations, most all with the hair etc...they must really be doing handstands and flips while rolling over in their collective grave when listening to todays rap.
Just think in another 30 years or so, someone will come up with something so ‘terrible’ that todays rappers will automatically condemn it, much in the same fashion as the ‘rock & rollers’ treat todays rap.
Time marches on and one must either join, lead or get out of the way......
I returned Star Wars Battlefront 2 without opening the package after finding out it was loaded with lootboxes.
Imagine that, Disney encouraging young kids to gamble with moms credit card..
I have a buddy that has spent upwards of a thousand bucks on virtual golf clubs.
I almost forgot about that....i’ll have to laugh at him again next time i see him.
Oops! Goodness! Do not want the little heads full of mush learning about capitalism! GASP!!!
Gunner
He’s the 39 year old Missouri Senator who defeated Claire McCaskill. He can’t think of more pressing issues that need to be dealt with? Already he is disappointing me.
At least the kids will still have free porn /sarc. This is so stupid, as if parents can’t figure out how to get their kids to stop charging up their credit cards.
The thing that motivates a liberal is the sneaking, persistent suspicion that somewhere, someone is having a good time.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.