UK Gaming Industry Will Restrict Access to Loot Boxes Among Children
The British Game Industry Association, in cooperation with the government, has enacted a series of targets to guide the market with regard to lootboxes. The plan is presented in the form of 11 sub-points.
The United Kingdom Interactive Entertainment (UKIE), a video game industry association, together with the local government has prepared a set of 11 rules that provide direction for the development of lootbox mechanics. They are intended to protect, first of all, the youngest players from the harmful effects of random microtransactions.
Set of new regulations
The enacted lootbox-related goals are aimed at streamlining and unifying the rules to guide the industry in the future. To quote the words of UKIE director Daniel Wood:
"The publication of these common rules on how the industry approaches loot boxes is a first in the UK and provides us with a clear direction forward."
The document provides a series of guidelines on issues such as:
- appropriate product labelling;
- disclosure of the likelihood of getting prizes;
- raising awareness among customers;
- working with the British government to study the impact of loot boxes and the effectiveness of the new rules.
It is worth noting that the UK is not the first country to take explicit steps against lootbox mechanics in video games. Previously, the topic of microtransactions on the legislative level was taken up by Netherlands, Spain or Belgium.
