There has been plenty of noise around how game makers integrate loot boxes into their games and whether or not these practices could be considered gambling. Each game utilizes microtransactions in a different way, but in the case of Star Wars Battlefront 2, it was found that EA's loot box method was more like gambling than anything else.
U.S. representatives have spoken out on the integration of loot boxes, specifically in Star Wars Battlefront 2, and are looking to take action against them in order to protect children from gambling. Now, a handful of gaming industry experts have announced the formation of the National Committee for Games Policy (NCGP) to influence government regulation of the industry. Their alleged political connections have not been detailed.
The leading members of the group have been revealed all of which have invested time in the gaming industry in some way, however, it should be noted that members do not have to disclose their identity and members are gained via invite only.
"As a result of the increasing external pressure for reform and regulation on the games industry, a group of industry leaders and experts have agreed to come together in a more permanent way, forming the National Committee for Games Policy (NCGP). We made this decision in response to the current crisis regarding the expansion of lootcrate economies and concerns about unregulated online gambling, but also as an acceptance of a long in coming decision that we knew would eventually become necessary. Games are not represented or understood in the modern political and judicial world, and that needs to change."
The NCGP will have a "privately funded think tank known as the ITK" and a "self-regulatory organization" known as the SRO.
Here's what the ITK is, according to the NCGP:
"The work of the NCGP ITK is to represent itself as a group of consummate professionals from every part of the video game community. We seek to represent the entire industry, and as such will not release opinions on differences within the industry except as they relate to public policy. Members names will only be released if they give permission, and their writing reflects their own opinions. The NCGP will never take a position on policy; we will give policy makers the information they need to make informed decision. Our political connections will get this information to them."
And what the SRO is:
"As an SRO, our purpose is to protect consumers from unscrupulous video game companies by investigating and bringing legal action against those companies that have damaged the public consciousness in some way, whether mental or physical. To do this we’ve enlisted the aid of game developer’s employees as well."
The NCGP is also looking to fight the game industry fight unpaid overtime for developers. The NCGP will release a quarterly list of companies who have been cited and the reason for citation.
While regulating loot box practices and unfair employment practices appear to be good things at first glance, this group runs the risk of becoming a lobby group. If the NCGP advocates for the industry by appealing to the government with their 'private funds' it runs a real risk of being no different than the ESA (who owns the ESRB) – it all depends on where their money flows in from. At the moment, the ESA spends plenty of money lobbying for the things they want and found loot crates to not be gambling.
Hopefully, this noble goal isn't influenced by ulterior motives and is indeed working in favor of the game community who managed to get EA to rethink how they worked loot boxes into their game by simply raising their voice.
