![](\"https:\/\/game-debate.com\/images\/blog\/top\/top__id1565254494_343178.jpg\")
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In a massive step forward for the regular of randomised loot boxes in games, the ESA (Entertainment Software Association) has inked a deal with the trio of console manufacturers requiring all games on their platforms disclosed the odds of loot boxes.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo have all entered in the agreement, meaning all games released, both first and third-party, will have to disclose how likely it is you get the item you\u2019re after.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
By default, this means a large chunk of PC games will also have their loot box odds revealed. That is unless third parties are sneaky and have different odds on PC compared to console. However, a number of big publishers have also stepped in and agree to disclose the loot crate odds for their games as well, including the likes of Activision Blizzard, Bandai Namco, Bethesda, Electronic Arts, and Ubisoft.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe major console makers \u2013 Sony Interactive Entertainment, operator of the PlayStation platform, Microsoft, operator of Xbox and Windows, and Nintendo, operator of the Nintendo Switch gaming platform \u2013 are committing to new platform policies that will require paid loot boxes in games developed for their platforms to disclose information on the relative rarity or probability of obtaining randomized virtual items,\u201d<\/em> wrote the ESA in a statement.<\/p>\n <\/ins><\/p>\n Any game coming to any of these three platform holders which contains loot boxes will be required to disclose the odds of the goods inside. Secondly, if any game updates and patches arrive which may affect the odds, this also needs to be disclosed.<\/p>\n Transitioning to this new format won\u2019t be instant though,with the console makers agreeing on a vague 2020 date for implementation of the new policy.\u00a0<\/p>\n The move comes as the heat grows on loot boxes worldwide. Some countries such as the Netherlands and Belgium have already taken steps to outlaw what are perceived as gambling-like mechanics, forcing the ESA into action if it isn\u2019t to suffer strict governmental regulation. The ideal scenario for the games industry is that it can regulate itself rather than be controlled by external political forces so this certainly comes as welcome news. Trust me, you don\u2019t want government lawmakers interfering with what can or can\u2019t be included in your games, it\u2019s a whole lot better if it can be handled internally.<\/p>\n It\u2019s winding up being an interesting turning point for loot boxes this week, with Rocket League developer Psyonix confirming yesterday that randomised loot boxes are going to be removed entirely from Rocket League.\u00a0<\/p>\n What are your thoughts then, a positive step in the right direction? Or merely a distraction from the genuine issues?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" In a massive step forward for the regular of randomised loot boxes in games, the…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1120,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[219],"tags":[535,68,431,536,509],"class_list":["post-1119","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-game-review","tag-agree","tag-deal","tag-microsoft","tag-nintendo","tag-sony"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/game8k.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1119","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/game8k.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/game8k.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/game8k.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/game8k.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1119"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/game8k.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1119\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/game8k.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1120"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/game8k.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1119"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/game8k.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1119"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/game8k.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1119"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}