'Star Wars: Battlefront 2' News: Belgium and Hawaii Lawmakers Critize Loot Boxes
Developed by EA, "Star Wars: Battlefront 2" may be facing legal problems as recent reports have revealed that the popular game title is being scrutinized by several states because of the nature of the in-game loot boxes. U.S. politicians from the state of Hawaii have gone as far as condemning the loot boxes in the recently released game.
"These kinds of loot boxes and microtransactions are explicitly designed to prey upon and exploit human psychology in the same way casino games are so designed," said Hawaii state representative Sean Quinlan, as reported by GameSpot. "This is especially true for young adults who child psychologists and other experts explain are particularly vulnerable. These exploitive mechanisms and the deceptive marketing promoting them have no place in games being marketed to minors, and perhaps no place in games at all."
Meanwhile, PC Gamer reports similar problems, this time in the country of Belgium, wherein the Gaming Commission has yet to declare the loot boxes in "Star Wars: Battlefront 2" as a form of gambling. However, Justice Minister Koen Geens has called for a ban well before the conclusion of the investigation. Speculation indicates that his statement might have been done for the purpose of hastening the process.
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On Nov. 21, French senator Jerome Durain also expressed similar concerns on the nature of the loot boxes in "Star Wars: Battlefront 2." He has since reached out to an independent agency to express his concerns regarding the microtransactions that might be "deleterious" in effect.
EA has yet to respond to comment regarding the whirlwind of legal attention that "Star Wars: Battlefront 2" is currently receiving worldwide. Loot boxes are still operating within the game and EA has given no indication on how they will proceed in light of recent events. Regardless, more information is expected to be revealed in the coming months.
"Star Wars: Battlefront 2" is now available for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Windows PC.
