we should just use the power of capitalism to get rid of it. If nobody buys their loot boxes then it won’t be a problem anymore.
This will never work and it's because of capitalism that it won't.
@TheBlueReptile talked about how loot boxes tap into the kind of addictive behaviour that keeps traditional gambling profitable, but beyond that the loot box business model is built on the knowledge that 99% of your players won't buy any, but the 1% will buy everything they can. They're called "whales" and devs/publishers are only interested in them, the players who will spend hundreds of euros/pounds/dollaridoos/drachmae/simoleons/etc. on anything and everything that comes their way. You will not convince these whales to boycott loot boxes. They are going to buy dozens, if not hundreds, of them no matter what you or I or anyone else does.
In addition to this, there are other industries that rely on loot boxes to be profitable. Youtube and Twitch channels that make substantial revenue from videos of them opening loot boxes, videos intended to show off the content inside to potential customers and to drum up the hype that you (
yes, you!) could get all these cool skins and emblems too if you just shell out £4.99. Didn't get what you wanted? Just buy some more, dude, it's fun. These people, who make revenue from opening loot boxes on stream or on video, will keep the practice alive and profitable, just like the whales. A boycott would be as effective as a change.org petition. 'Voting with your wallet' doesn't work in the economy we have today. You do not have any power as a consumer to influence things like this.
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As for the bill itself, I hope it passes because these mechanics being banned in the US will possibly have a major knock-on effect of developers not including them at all in other regions, too. That said, I'm not optimistic. The US tends to favour businesses and their track record of even just understanding video games is spotty at best. I can't imagine that half of US senators would know what a loot box even was after hearing arguments (because you bet that most simply won't read the bill at all). Perhaps it seems hopeful that a Republican has proposed the bill, but even then he's had to frame it as protecting children specifically, not consumers. Either he's only concerned about minors, or he knows his party won't consider it without that angle. With the Republicans in control of the Senate, it's very possible the bill won't survive a vote there. That is assuming they still control the Senate when the bill eventually comes up for a vote
and assuming it gets through Congress. The Democrats seem like the kind of party that would back such a bill but you'd be surprised by the things the Democrats have opposed in the past. No doubt Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez will have something useful to say about it, especially since she actually knows what video games are, but she's just one voice and the Republicans think she's The Enemy.
So yeah, fingers and toes crossed. I'd very much like this to pass, I just can't quite bring myself to believe that it will. Hopefully I'm wrong.