JMS 215 Story Pitch #2
My story is revolving around the idea of loot boxes in video games. Sports games such as Madden NFL can be the biggest culprits in attempting to market these items to people. I am telling this story on Medium. I hope to take “b-roll” photographs of what the loot boxes appearance is when buying, opening, and using them in various games.
I know there are many gamers around the campus at UNC that will be aware of the loot box debate. The majority of gamers will say they want to see them removed from video games entirely. However, gaming studios will say it is how they can make profits with smaller transactions rather than releasing a brand new 60 dollar game for people to purchase.
Loot boxes can contain cosmetic items to change a player’s look or animations. In addition, loot boxes can contain items that can help a player win in a given game. For example, in Madden NFL games people can purchase packs which contain higher overall players than their team currently possesses. In my story I can provide my own experience from playing Madden in the past. The loot box system in the game has not changed at all in a number of years. I believe I can enhance my story by providing my own experience while also bringing in quotes from other gamers who have likely experienced this in on of the games they play.
Loot boxes have been considered by some to be a new form of gambling. This has developed recently, and gaming studios seem to be taking advantage of a lack of a gambling label on their games to make extreme profits. The ratings system for games is determined by the ESRB. E for Everyone is considered the family-friendly rating. M for Mature and AO for Adults Only are the opposite end of the spectrum. Games that contain loot boxes that may or may not benefit you in attempting to win games are found in numerous E for Everyone titles. They are also found in T for Teen games. Gambling is illegal in most states. In states such as Nevada, one must be 21 years of age to gamble. This is what has caused the outrage from unsuspecting parents that have suddenly seen a multi-thousand dollar charge show up on their credit card statement. On the PlayStation and Xbox consoles, one must enter a valid credit card in order to hold an online account. Children are the likeliest people to suddenly throw thousands of dollars at a game without understanding the consequences. I hope to incorporate stories like this as evidence for the side that argues loot boxes are gambling.
For a counter-argument, the ESRB and gaming studios such as EA and Activision have released statements as to why they believe loot boxes are not gambling. Some gamers will argue that cosmetic items are not a form of gambling. However, in some instances, it is not a guarantee that a person will receive the desired cosmetic when purchasing the loot box. I hope to show visual examples of both of these occurrences from games such as Overwatch and Apex Legends. Overwatch is a non-guaranteed cosmetic item, while Apex Legends is a guaranteed cosmetic item.
In summation, I have a few examples of what loot boxes entail for the purchaser for readers who many not be familiar with the idea. I plan to incorporate quotes from all sides of the debate to help readers make an informed decision about their opinions. I will use visuals to show the items people receive out of loot boxes in various games. Finally, I will use stories of people throwing a lot of money at a game to regret or enjoy the purchase later on to show the effects these game mechanics can have on people.
