After reporting on a family whose bank account got cleared out by kids playing FIFA, the BBC has a new article with testimony from many parents in similar situations.
Kids are tricked into spending thousands on videogames with insidious, manipulative microtransactions. These games are rated as suitable for children, so many parents don’t think to check for malicious monetization.
It’s high time articles like this got wider attention. I’ve been yelling about it for years, and the chickens are finally coming home to roost. Because screw this sinister, greedy nonsense!
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-48925623
#Microtransactions #LootBoxes #EA #BBC #JimSterling #IndustryBS
Remember: Pokemon had to remove the Game Corner becuase PEGI was giving their games 12 ratings (7 for Let’s Go Pikachu/Eevee) because of having “Gambling Mechanics” in them despite the fact that no real world money is involved. And yet here are some 3 rated games where you spend real money for a “less than 1% chance” of getting what you want doing their thing. Excellent Game Industry logic.
The more noise we make about the issues surrounding loot boxes, the more mainstream media will pick it up
I still remember an indie mobile dev defending microtransactions saying it was an “Industry Standard”…
I’m pretty sure he’d be whistling a different tune when this article was made public.
It’s not highway robbery, it’s surprise destitution!
Man, where’s the Surprise Mechanic when you need him… even he would stick his nose up at this mess, because “Even evil has standards (TM)”.
The solution is simple. We must destroy the micro-transaction business model. There was a time when cigarettes were very easily accessible and unregulated as well.
It must be exhausting being proven so right all the time Jim.
We don’t call it *_”going bankrupt…”_* we refer to it as *_surprise poverty._*
Eugh.
Being an adult with Autism I can only imagine what some of these people and families went through with this.
Fortunately I am largely not vulnerable to these kinds of things.
I’ve had my own problems (I’m certainly vulnerable in my own ways, but more to things people can do in face to face interactions. I got really messed up by a con artist that knocks on people’s doors and generally targets the elderly. And I’ve had a fair few problems with sexually aggressive people that walks that fine line between ‘flirting’ and ‘sexual assault’ because of how difficult I find it to deal with such people…)
But, the kinds of vulnerabilities this preys on, and how easily you can get access to people these ways is just scary…
You’d pretty much have to meet me face to face to stand any chance of exploiting my weaknesses, but these… apps… and ‘games’ try and get you in your own home, when you’re not even remotely aware that there’s any kind of risk…
It’s so messed up, yet these companies spend so much time arguing that their abusive behaviour isn’t actually abuse, and trying to push all the responsibilities onto the victim.
It’s a bit like the rapist that stands up in court and starts arguing about how provocative the clothing the victim was wearing was, and how it’s all their own fault.
Kinda sick, but here we are…
“Shame and Embarrassment” No no no, Jim…
Surely you mean “Pride and Accomplishment”
You mentioned that your still receiving testimonials from people and that you could easily do a couple more videos on that subject. I would genuinely suggest that you consider doing more of that Jim, since it means that more people’s concerns will be heard, and that more evidence can be used to support these arguments.
Keep at it mate.
A product requiring parent supervision and safeguards should by that definition require 15 years minimum!
You know you’re on the right side when you use the same victim blaming argument as pedophiles and sexual predators.
“EA Sports: The kid was asking for it”
My refund request via Google Pay was automatically rejected…
My refund request via Google Pay was automatically rejected.
Put AO ratings on fifa for gambling and see what happens lol
It deserves it.
It’s actually WORSE then gambling because at least a Casino won’t let children in.
Today I was talking to a mother of 2 boys. I mentioned Fortnite ….she replied “Whats Fortnite?” So I told her and she was completly blank she never heard of it before.
While that may sound stupid to us the fact is normal people HAVE NO IDEA !!!
On another note
Ive started talking to my sons friends parents about this. In the last week Ive discovered in a class of 25 kids 5 family’s have stories of their children getting acess to accounts and spending from 40 -300 quid !
Yes the parents ‘should’of stopped it but for fucks sake if everyone done what they ‘should’ do all the time …. crime would be 0 and fucking ER rooms would’nt exist !!!!
“It’s just cosmetic.” – You’ll be wearing your birthday suit once you’re done.
“These kids aren’t disabled, they just have surprise difficulty increases!” – EA (probably)