The fight is announced in loot boxing. For some games, that could mean bad things. Image source: EA, Activision Blizzard, Getty Images / MangoStar_Studio.
Australia has the strictest laws and regulations when it comes to video games and the protection of minors. There, the controversial loot boxes will be even more of a problem in the future.
Loot boxes only from the age of 18
An independent member of the Australian Parliament is planning a sharp law for the globally controversial loot boxes in video games (source: Gamesindustry). He would like to present his draft law in August.
This would protect children from playing games that gambling-like mechanisms include. There are plenty of these in blockbusters like FIFA 21, NBA 2K21 and many more.
According to the proposed law, all of these games would come with one 18er-Rating be provided. In addition, such games should then detailed notes to receive the exact content, as we already know, for example, from games with inappropriate language and more.
Lead MP Andrew Wilkie is concerned that lootboxing kids very early on in one positive context introduce gambling mechanisms, even if the game developers do not intend to do so.
How are loot boxes treated in Germany?
This very sharp push for Australia has of course no impact on the ratings in this country. But how are loot boxes actually being used in Germany rated by the protection of minors?
With us, too, the loot boxes in FIFA and Co. are more and more announced (source: Gameswirtschaft). However, a clear categorization as “18 years and older” is far from in sight. In Germany, such an age classification can also happen, but only if the game developer specializes Presets for children and the standard deactivation for loot boxes ignored.
If such Jewish protection measures are in place, the video games only receive one Notethat such content is in the game.
Since this law is still very fresh, it remains to be seen how that one USK such cases will be dealt with in practice in the future.
It can also work the other way around: This series of images shows games that have been blown off the index again:
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