The ESRB, the regulatory body responsible for video game age and content ratings, today announced a change being made in response to the ongoing controversy regarding loot boxes and post-launch DLC. The ESRB will soon be introducing a new label for physical and digital games releases that feature digital purchases of all kinds. The label will read “In-Game Purchases.”
According to the ESRB, the new label was decided upon as a “sensible approach to let gamers and parents know when a game offers the option to purchase additional content.” As mentioned earlier, the label will be applied to boxes and digital game profiles for all forms of premium digital content. That includes DLC packs, loot boxes, premium digital currencies, subscriptions, season passes, and more.
Further within the ESRB’s announcement, which was posted on Twitter, the organization states that this is a “first step of many.” While the organization doesn’t expound on what future steps it may or may not be considering, it signals that the ongoing conversation regarding premium digital content will play a large part in any future decisions.
Alongside today’s new labeling announcement, the ESRB also released a letter written by ESRB President Patricia Vance in response to an inquiry by New Hampshire Senator Maggie Hassan. Hassan requested the ESRB revisit and reevaluate how games with loot boxes are rated. Within the letter, the ESRB touches on issues including parental awareness of in-game spending by children, the “gaming disorder” currently being considered by the World Health Organization, and the ongoing discussion regarding whether loot boxes should be considered a form of gambling.
The ESRB’s letter goes on to both describe and defend the growing trend of loot boxes within modern video games:
If there’s an area where the ESRB admits improvement may be needed, it’s in educating parents regarding the nuances of gaming with special regard to digital purchases. With that in mind, the ESRB also launched the Parental Tools website today, which is designed to help parents enable Parental Control systems on modern game platforms.
“Loot boxes are an optional feature in certain games that provide the player a fun way to acquire virtual items for use within the game itself. Most of the time, these items are cosmetic in nature. They are sometimes earned as an award to the player; other times they can be purchased. But at all times, they are optional.”
Today’s ESRB statement and actions have not been without criticism, however. Core issues with loot boxes, such as whether they constitute a form of gambling or whether they prey on addictive tendencies, are brushed over if not outright ignored. And the repeated ESRB defense of digital purchases including loot boxes being “optional” is at the least quite dismissive. But most confusing of all is the assumption that this new label will provide any meaningful service, considering the vast majority of major video games released these days has some form of premium digital content. Something more specific seems to be needed.
The ESRB does, however, make clear that this is the “first step” in its plans regarding the ongoing loot box controversy. Where the ESRB plans to go from here is anyone’s guess. What’s certain though is that today’s comments won’t be ending, or even slowing, the ongoing discourse surrounding the topic.
Source: ESRB
