FIFA 19 is one of the most popular games in the world, arguably the best football simulator. EA Sports' main source of income from this game is the sale of 'FIFA Points', the virtual currency that can be used for purchases. in-game.
However, it appears that the sale of this virtual currency may have its days numbered. After a big controversy arose with a new law passed in Belgium last year. EA will now stop selling 'FIFA Points' in Belgium. But this may just be the beginning of the nightmare for the company.
The big problem came when the scandal of Loot box. Qwhich were considered as a form of 'gambling'. That is, many countries considered that this type of shopping in-game would be on par with the games we find in a casino.
The controversy of loot boxes could cost EA Sports several million euros
Any FIFA 19 player, specifically 'Ultimate Team', knows perfectly well that the odds of getting a Cristiano Ronaldo or Messi in these packs are extremely low. However, they continue to spend hundreds of euros hoping to be one of the lucky ones.
Belgium was the first country in Europe to take drastic measures regarding the availability of loot boxes in various games. Trying hard to protect their players from the risk of developing gambling addictions. However, even with the law passed last year, EA Sports tried to do everything not to comply with the new law.
For the first time in FIFA 19, the company started to inform players about the odds of finding each type of player in the various packs. Still, they were forced to give in to orders from the Belgian government.
Will these measures have repercussions across Europe and globally?
Although for the time being these measures have only been applied in Belgium. Countries like the United States, the United Kingdom and Japan are already considering similar measures. So it would not be surprising if we saw 2019 as the year when loot boxes will disappear from the world of video games.
The various governments see the loot boxes as possible causes of addiction for young people and can lead to serious gambling problems. If one of these large markets eventually takes similar action, it is likely that the rest will follow suit.
Finally, even if the risks of addiction are too obvious. Certainly, these measures will not appeal to the vast majority of gamers. Especially those who see the loot boxes as the only way to quickly evolve your game quality.
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