The Farce of Loot Box Disclosure Fines

The European ratings board PEGI recently fined Activision Blizzard and Plaion for neglecting to mention that their games, Diablo Immortal and Hunt: Showdown, contained randomized in-game purchases, commonly known as loot boxes. This is a serious issue, given the legislative efforts worldwide to regulate loot boxes, which are often seen as a form of unregulated gambling that targets children. Despite the industry's claims of taking these concerns seriously, the fines imposed are minimal, with each company receiving a fine of €5,000. This amount is negligible compared to the revenue generated by these games, with Diablo Immortal making $48.9 million in its first 30 days of operation. The industry's lack of transparency and failure to provide clear information about loot boxes and their odds of dropping certain items is a major concern. The fact that only 29% of games with loot boxes are properly labeled on the Google Play store, and only 64% of top-grossing UK iPhone games with loot boxes disclose odds to users, highlights the need for more stringent regulations. The industry's defense of providing parental controls and ratings labels is not sufficient, as these measures are often ineffective and do not address the root issue of loot box addiction. The recent fines are a joke, and the industry needs to take more serious action to address the concerns of parents, legislators, and players regarding loot boxes. The industry's secrecy and lack of transparency about its business practices and monetization methods are also a major issue. The fact that it took a significant amount of effort to find information about Diablo Immortal's loot box odds and the game's monetization model is a testament to the industry's lack of transparency. The games industry needs to take loot box concerns seriously and provide more transparency and clear information about its business practices and monetization methods. Anything less is a disservice to parents, players, and the industry as a whole.