In such games, this bill would prohibit several forms of manipulative design:
Loot Boxes
- Microtransactions offering randomized or partially randomized rewards to players
Pay-to-Win
- Manipulation of a game’s progression system – typically by building artificial difficulty or other barriers into game progression – to induce players to spend money on microtransactions to advance through content supposedly available to them at no additional cost
- Pay-to-win - Manipulation of the competitive balance between players of multiplayer games by allowing players who purchase microtransactions competitive advantages over other players
Enforcement
- These rules would be enforced by the Federal Trade Commission, which would treat the distribution of such games by publishers and online distributors as an unfair trade practice.
- State attorneys general would also be empowered to file suit to defend the residents of their states.
Dev wrote on May 8, 2019, 21:28:jdreyer wrote on May 8, 2019, 20:16:No, but start throwing in all the collectibles, like magic cards, pokeman cards, and other CCGs, and all those things at gamestop where you buy a figurine and you get a random one inside, etc etc, and it starts adding up.
I agree sports card have a similar mechanic. Difference is that they aren't a $134B industry, so have flown under the radar.