ESRB rating labels will now warn consumers about loot boxes
The ESRB has announced major changes to how it informs consumers, particularly parents. It’s a new label specifically for loot boxes on the cover of physical games.
The new In-Game Purchases (Includes Random Items) label helps consumers distinguish between different types of games. Parents will now be able to decipher between a game that offers regular in-game purchases from ones that have random items for purchase (i.e. loot boxes).
According to ESRB, the In-Game Purchases (Includes Random Items) label “will be assigned to any game that contains in-game offers to purchase digital goods or premiums with real-world currency (or with virtual coins or other forms of in-game currency that can be purchased with real-world currency) for which the player doesn’t know prior to purchase the specific digital goods or premiums they will be receiving (e.g., loot boxes, item packs, mystery awards).”
This doesn’t mean that the ESRB is retiring the old In-Game Purchases label, though. However, that label will now be reserved for DLC, such as additional levels, cosmetic items, expansions, etc.
