The 2018 Game Developers Conference is set to take place next month from March 19 to March 23. While the show is able to avoid controversy most years, one roundtable scheduled for next month’s event is already raising eyebrows. Presented by the International Game Developers Association, the roundtable is called “Censorship Strikes Back,” and it describes loot box regulation as a form of censorship.
The roundtable will give updates to game developers “and allies” about the “latest assaults on their self-expression and business rights.” Furthermore, it will teach attendees how to be an “advocate for change,” presumably to prevent things like anti-loot box legislation being passed.
The GDC painting the games industry as a victim in this ordeal is not likely to sit well with those who are already anti-loot box. For those unaware of the ongoing controversy, loot boxes in games have been accused of using the same predatory psychological tricks as gambling, and various governments are already moving forward with legislation to regulate and restrict their use. The games industry has pushed back against this, and has been widely criticized in its attempts to do so.
“Global gains against game censorship are suddenly at risk from a combination of actions against our industry. With the World Health Organization classifying ‘gaming disorder’ a mental health condition and burgeoning legislation around the world against Loot Boxes, a handful of government officials again wield outsized power over our creative and business decisions. Additionally, Augmented Reality (AR) faces bans in parks, military bases, churches around the world, and a total ban in China. What are developers to do? Join us for a discussion on how we can protect our rights.”
For example, EA’s attempt to justify its heavy use of microtransactions and loot boxes in Star Wars Battlefront 2 resulted in the company obliterating the record for the most downvoted Reddit comment in history. The ESA’s statements on the matter, where it insists that loot boxes aren’t gambling, have also been criticized.
While it’s clear that some members of the games industry feel as though loot box regulation is a form of censorship, the industry is finally starting to take action. Earlier today, the ESRB (itself controlled by the ESA) announced plans to include new labels that specify whether a game has premium digital content. It’s worth pointing out that this label embodies all forms of digital purchases, and does not single out loot boxes. However, the ESRB has stressed that it’s just the “first step” in how it plans on handling the ongoing loot box issue moving forward.
Source: GDC
