so...Black Lion Chests and the potential US "Loot box ban"...a thought

[moonstarmac.4603]

So yeah, the title says it. ArenaNet has already suffered a bit by having to kill key sales in EU nations that have banned loot boxes, so the question is...will they modify the BLCs to make them less 'loot box slot machine' and more stable to protect themselves? With that, I have an idea that might help out in the long run.

 

Currently, you are guaranteed: 1 Seasonal Item, 1 BLS, 2 Common Items. You then have a chance for one slot to be Uncommon or better...RNG here is horrid as there does not seem to be a set % chance on this slot. So, I thought up the following ideas:

 

Slot 1: Seasonal Item Pack (either pick the seasonal item or 1 Black Lion Statuette)

Slot 2: Black Lion Statuette

Slot 3: Common Item Pack

Slot 4: 50% Common Item Pack or Uncommon Item

Slot 5: 50% Chance to get - 25% Uncommon Item , 15% Rare Item, 5% Ultra Rare Item

 

Common Item Pack:

Exploration Kit: contains items good for exploration (Revive orb, Teleport to Friend, Upgrade Extractor, Primers, Lockbreaker Kit)

Wardrobe Kit: Armor Unlock, Weapon Unlock, Wardrobe Unlock, Tyrian Voucher

Crafting Kit: Crafting Bag (1-3), Dye Kit (1-2)

Black Lion Kit: Ticket Scrap, Black Lion Statuette (1-5), Hair Kit, Miniature Claim Ticket, Toy Egg

 

^ This allows you to choose the type of drop you want, reducing the chance on unwanted clutter. Furthermore, by setting a definite drop percentage on Slot 4 and Slot 5 it reduces the 'slot machine' syndrome. The only way to fully set it up, would be to use a defined chance setting then allow the player to choose the exact drop they want, thus removing the Black Lion Chest from the realm of loot boxes entirely.

 

Thoughts?

[Inculpatus cedo.9234]

I've only heard of 1 EU nation that was affected: Belgium.

[Lilyanna.9361]

They're no going to change anything because that's wasting resources. As long as they have sales in America nothing's gonna change. If EU can't get it, then that's whatever tbh. The only way they will change drastically if it directly affects America.

 

And America threw out not one, but two proposals regarding this lootbox crap because honestly, it's a waste of time to address and waste resources for.

[Altion.9576]

I would buy more keys if they DIDNT HAD TWO SHITTY GARANTEED items.

[hugo.4705]

What kill me is indeed the guaranteed items, 2 are already filled with useless thingies like the seasonal event/story item and a bl statuette, would be better if the four slots are random, so more "chances" to not have that thing stacking in inv (hello teal petals and petal buff...) that you already have. Here, each time you open a chest, you are forced to have those guaranted items, they are just wasting the bl chest slots.

[Vancho.8750]

But you only get cool shit on the extra roll the normal rolls get the common stuff that is full of crap.

[zealex.9410]

Hopefully they will remove it completely, good riddance.

[Zaklex.6308]

Won't happen without changing the legal definition of gambling in the United States, and we do have a legal definition that eliminates the BLTC from being considered loot boxes...because you're guaranteed to "win" something, doesn't have to be something you want...technically a casino could change all of their slot machines to award a single penny from every play and those would no longer be considered gambling devices, almost surprised none have tried it yet.

 

As for those 2 guaranteed slots, that's how they get around it being considered gambling, and you get enough of those statuettes there's usually one or two exceptional items available with them.

[Ashantara.8731]

> @"Inculpatus cedo.9234" said:

> I've only heard of 1 EU nation that was affected: Belgium.

 

What happened? You are usually overly thorough with the details:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loot_box

 

The Netherlands were the first.

[Illconceived Was Na.9781]

> @"moonstarmac.4603" said:

> ArenaNet has already suffered a bit by having to kill key sales in EU nations that have banned loot boxes,

Not really. It's been a single country, Belgium. It's unclear how much that has affected total gem sales.

 

> potential US "Loot box ban"

It's nothing close to "potential" at this point.

* Hearings from the Federal Trade Commission are scheduled for late this year and this particular FTC largely has sided with big business.

* The only US Federal legislation ([sB1629](https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/senate-bill/1629)) was submitted in late May, referred to committee, where it has sat since.

* No state has passed legislation and no state regulations cover the situation (and it's entirely possible that states won't be able to do so, as there's a decent argument that this would restrict interstate commerce, which is a privilege reserved to the Federal government in the US).

 

> @"Ashantara.8731" said:

> > @"Inculpatus cedo.9234" said:

> > I've only heard of 1 EU nation that was affected: Belgium.

>

> What happened? You are usually overly thorough with the details:

> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loot_box

>

> The Netherlands were the first.

Belgian customers cannot buy BL keys and remain the only country affected by their home regulations for GW2.

https://help.guildwars2.com/hc/en-us/articles/360001978607

[Haishao.6851]

Dye kit are an even bigger problem than black lion chest IMO.

Unless you're lucky and get the dye worth near a hundred gold from them, you'll mostly only get dyes that are not even worth 20 coppers

At least with chests you can get the key in game even if they mostly give crap.

 

 

[Illconceived Was Na.9781]

> @"Haishao.6851" said:

> Dye kit are an even bigger problem than black lion chest IMO.

> Unless you're lucky and get the dye worth near a hundred gold from them, you'll mostly only get dyes that are not even worth 20 coppers

 

Buy the dyes on the TP. The BL chests can contain non-tradeable items that won't be available through other sources for months, perhaps 1-2 years; all of the dyes are always tradeable and always cheaper than if you toss the dice hoping to get lucky.

 

> At least with chests you can get the key in game even if they mostly give kitten.

With dyes, you get gold in game (or items you can sell for gold) and can use that to buy the colors you want most.

[Inculpatus cedo.9234]

> @"Ashantara.8731" said:

> > @"Inculpatus cedo.9234" said:

> > I've only heard of 1 EU nation that was affected: Belgium.

>

> What happened? You are usually overly thorough with the details:

> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loot_box

>

> The Netherlands were the first.

 

You may have confused me with someone else.

Also, I have still only heard of one country that can not purchase Black Lion Chests, et al. If the Netherlands have issue, no one from there has posted here that I have seen. Do enlighten me with a link, if you would be so kind.

[aspirine.6852]

> @"Inculpatus cedo.9234" said:

> > @"Ashantara.8731" said:

> > > @"Inculpatus cedo.9234" said:

> > > I've only heard of 1 EU nation that was affected: Belgium.

> >

> > What happened? You are usually overly thorough with the details:

> > https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loot_box

> >

> > The Netherlands were the first.

>

> You may have confused me with someone else.

> Also, I have still only heard of one country that can not purchase Black Lion Chests, et al. If the Netherlands have issue, no one from there has posted here that I have seen. Do enlighten me with a link, if you would be so kind.

 

I can buy black lions chests without a problem. I'm in the Netherlands.

[Inculpatus cedo.9234]

And well, there you go!

[Ayakaru.6583]

> @"Inculpatus cedo.9234" said:

> I've only heard of 1 EU nation that was affected: Belgium.

 

Netherlands is following suit, but our politicians need three years to find a pen to sign the papers

[Linken.6345]

> @"Ayakaru.6583" said:

> > @"Inculpatus cedo.9234" said:

> > I've only heard of 1 EU nation that was affected: Belgium.

>

> Netherlands is following suit, but our politicians need three years to find a pen to sign the papers

 

Dont say that untill the papers are signed and the ink is dry mate.

[Inculpatus cedo.9234]

I guess I must amend my statement to make it clear we are talking about Guild Wars 2 (on the GW2 forum).

I've only heard of 1 EU (or elsewhere) nation affected in regards to purchasing in Guild Wars 2: Belgium.

[Dragana.1497]

> @"Ayakaru.6583" said:

> > @"Inculpatus cedo.9234" said:

> > I've only heard of 1 EU nation that was affected: Belgium.

>

> Netherlands is following suit, but our politicians need three years to find a pen to sign the papers

 

From what I've read some lootboxes are deemed illegal, but not all. The ones that are illegal are the ones that are 100% rng which blc are not since you always get 2 guaranteed items (the flavour of the month and the statuettes). The ones that are tradeable for real money are also illegal. GW2 has no in game option to trade blc or the items coming out of them for real money.

 

Even if they ever find that pen (which is a big if) it doesn't look like blc will be affected.

[Danikat.8537]

I don't think it's possible to say what any game might do until we know what the legislation actually says (and if it will be passed at all). If they ban RNG items in cash shops entirely then the OP's suggestion would be useless because it's still random, even if the odds are better than the current system. Alternatively if the US government decides loot boxes come under existing gambling legislation then Anet might be able to raise the age rating and keep selling black lion keys, if they want to.

 

I think Anet went with the 'quick and dirty' solution for Belgium because it's a relatively small market for them, so it wasn't a big impact and they didn't consider it worth making other changes. If a bigger market like the USA was to change the law they'd almost certainly consider it worth the time to comply, but I think it's unlikely they'd make more changes than necessary.

 

But planning anything this far in advance would be a mistake, because they could easily end up working out a whole new system which still doesn't comply with the final version of the law, and then it's all a waste of time.

[draxynnic.3719]

> @"hugo.4705" said:

> What kill me is indeed the guaranteed items, 2 are already filled with useless thingies like the seasonal event/story item and a bl statuette, would be better if the four slots are random, so more "chances" to not have that thing stacking in inv (hello teal petals and petal buff...) that you already have. Here, each time you open a chest, you are forced to have those guaranted items, they are just wasting the bl chest slots.

 

The statuettes are intended to be the guarantee that if you use enough keys, you'll eventually get the thing you actually want...

 

But yeah, I generally only open chests when the seasonal item is something that has value in itself. For instance, when it's one of these "get the seasonal baby mount mini" I usually just open one for the basic mini and leave it at that.

[Jumpin Lumpix.6108]

I really hope they do not pass any laws, I'm very against this.

[IndigoSundown.5419]

If there is legislation in the US about loot boxes, it is less likely to be about gambling. It is more likely to be about protecting minors from dopamine addiction, which can lead to compulsive, potentially harmful behavior. This would be accomplished by requiring companies that offer games which have random chance loot containers (or the keys to open them) bought with real money to restrict the game to whatever age group is deemed mature enough to make their own decisions, something like 18+. There are laws on the books to keep minors from gambling, but also to prevent them from engaging in non-gambling but harmful, addictive behavior -- like smoking and drinking.