Loot boxes and gacha mechanics have suddenly held the entire video game industry by ransom – it is almost impossible to avoid them at the point. For some, they blur the line between gaming and gambling, but not all loot boxes have to be used with real money.
These features, found in popular web games, allow players to obtain virtual items or characters through randomised loot boxes purchases. In games like Brawl Stars, loot boxes are won by winning matches. But, for many games, they are attained by USD purchases.
Variable Reward Schedules
Loot boxes and gacha mechanics tap into the psychology of variable reward schedules, similar to how slot machines do. They create anticipation and excitement that is difficult to match.
The unpredictable nature of the rewards triggers dopamine release in the brain, encouraging repeated purchases. Players are drawn in by the chance of receiving rare items (or items straight up valuable on a secondary market) even though the odds may be slim.
This can very quickly go from positive to negative depending on whether it’s real money or not. When it’s a game with no option to pay with USD, it’s a positive form of hooking in the player – it makes us want to grind it out and earn more rewards.
Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) Tactics
Game developers employ various clever tactics to play on players’ fear of missing out, commonly known as FOMO. Limited-time events and exclusive items create a sense of scarcity, meaning players get excited and act urgently before the opportunity disappears. This is more common among games like Fortnite and Warzone, but you may also experience FOMO when playing such games as the online Brawl Stars game.
This is criticized when real money is involved because it becomes pay-to-win, in which those who pour in the most money (like with FUT on FIFA) increase their likelihood of winning against their online peers. This makes the game closer to the real-world in that it isn’t a level playing field.
Sunk Cost Fallacy
As players invest time and money into a game, they become increasingly committed to it. This has been around since Runescape, so it’s nothing new. It’s known as sunk cost fallacy, which means it’s harder to give something up after you have invested so much time (or, in some cases, money) into it.
Regulatory Concerns
The proliferation of loot boxes and gacha mechanics has raised significant regulatory concerns. However, it is clearly become a clear line of divide where, unsurprisingly, it is the one’s accepting real money that are a concern, in part because users may be children. Some European countries have already begun taking legal action against the developers, but we are yet to settle on what the long-term approach will be.
Conclusion
Loot boxes in video games are an interesting phenomenon. In and of themselves, they create anticipation and joy, much like playing card games with friends. However, when accepting real money ad children, the situation becomes concerning, and clear lines will likely soon be drawn by lawmakers.
