EA won’t stop selling loot boxes in Belgium, so regulators are going to court

It seems EA has decided not to comply with Belgian law regarding the sale of loot boxes in the country, and officials there are taking the company to court. A series of other major titles from Overwatch to Counter-Strike: Global Offensive have restricted loot box purchases for players in Belgium, and EA is the last major player named by regulators yet to comply. FIFA 18 and 19 are the specific titles cited here, with the Ultimate Team mode’s randomized card packs as the specific loot box mechanic being targeted. Card packs are still available for purchase in last year’s game, and there’s no indication that this year’s title will be any different. A variety of Dutch outlets including Metro and Nieuwsblad reported earlier today that the Belgian Gaming Commission is now seeking legal action against EA. We’re dealing with the vagaries of Google Translate here, but broadly it appears that the commission is in currently contact with the Brussels public prosecutor’s office. Prosecutors will investigate to decide whether to pursue legal action against EA, and in the meantime the publisher has been given documents detailing the current situation.

from PCGamesN https://ift.tt/2N21oU1