Loot Box Backlash Could Lead To Higher Game Prices According To Bethesda Founder

One of the biggest controversies this year was the use of loot boxes within video games. A practice that has yielded massive profits but faced with massive scrutinies such as whether its a form of gambling or pay-to-win systems that encourages the purchases of loot boxes. Games such as Overwatch has used this system for a year now and justified it as a way to provide free updates to the game. However, Star Wars Battlefront 2 and Destiny 2 faced overwhelming backlash since it promoted the sale of loot boxes by blocking content through unbelievably long grinding. The backlash was so loud that other companies and even governments have joined in on how to approach the future.

Founder of Bethesda and one of the creators of The Elder Scrolls franchise, Christopher Weaver, was asked about the system. Weaver criticized the freemium model in triple-a games and didn't approve of giving fans a chance at something. It breaks the game by preventing the player from becoming immersed in a world but also understands that companies have to look at profits. Triple-a development is constantly rising and without microtransactions, gamers may have to pay more for games.

Weaver's statements do hold merit as free-to-play games and freemium models tend to generate much more profit than single-player games. In a 2017 interview, a former BioWare employee explained why EA preferred open world games to linear experiences by citing the sheer amount of profit that Mass Effect 3's microtransactions generated. However, EA is at the center of the loot box controversy with their fiscal projections lowers for 2018, massive negative feedback from their community, and the recent release of not only Star Wars Battlefront 2 but Mass Effect Andromeda, Need for Speed Payback, and the closing of Visceral Games.

Adam Siddiqui, NoobFeed
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