https://www.hawley.senate.gov/senato...ractices-aimed
https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2019/...n-legislation/
Originally Posted by ArsTechnica
https://www.hawley.senate.gov/senato...ractices-aimed
https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2019/...n-legislation/
Originally Posted by ArsTechnica
Will be interesting to see where this goes.
My cynical guess is that, if it even goes through, game companies will just label their games 18+ - and use that as an excuse to stuff them with more sex and gore, too.
True, but Asia is not exactly happy with the random-result microtransaction model, either.
Both Korea and China, the only regions where Nexon shows a profit, have recently (past few years) made laws requiring companies to reveal the probabilities on their cash random-reward items. For now they have not gone further and banned such items outright, but Nexon may be wise to start developing strategies for such an eventuality.
Oddly enough, Nexon did not publish the probabilities on cubes, either in Korea, China, or Global. I don't know what loophole in the Korean and Chinese laws allows them to avoid that. Maybe because cubes don't give a "random item" (but rather a random modification to an existing item), maybe because cubes aren't "cash only" (can get them for free from the Mileage shop), maybe something else entirely.
On the other hand, the Belgian law is strict enough that Nexon hurried to implement a block in its cash shop, preventing users in Belgium from buying anything with the tiniest bit of randomness associated with it. They can't even buy Fusion Anvils, whose primary function is completely deterministic, because using an anvil also gives the player a random gift. These gifts are generally worthless, and I've never heard of anyone buying Anvils for them, but Nexon isn't taking chances. Then again, they can easily afford to lose the Belgian market.
Depending on how the American law ends up being worded, if it passes at all, Nexon might be able to circumvent it with minimum effort, or not. We have to wait and see.
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