The War Against Lootboxes

[Psychotic]

Hmm hadn't heard about that. Is that for like destiny 2?

Probably more like Destiny 3. I should've been clearer - it's the next step after loot crates, given that loot crates themselves had pre-order bonuses, online passes and season passes as precursors.

Personally I have no issue with cosmetic loot boxes, I argued this in discord the past two days xD Gameplay lootboxes are what is trout to me. Paying money to look pretty is whatever, it doesn't affect gameplay. Paying money to get a better weapon that will murder people more easily, that's lame.

I disagree for the simple reason: Cosmetics are gameplay. I think, more than many hardcore gamers will admit, having customisation options and being able to create a unique character as part of your own identity, particularly in an online game, is fun. This is especially relevant to a game like Overwatch or Destiny where doing your thing with skins is both part of the experience itself and the game's identity. And if you enjoy both, who is to say the fun you have from getting a headshot is any more valid than the fun you have from making a cool outfit? Why should one experience be subjected to real money gambling mechanics and not the other?

The obvious caveat to this is that the average player will spend much more time having fun with the actual fighting than with the dress up, but I would argue that there's no benefit to players to having any of the gameplay experience gated off unless they stump up the cash, regardless of how much time they spend on that particular aspect.

You are, of course, within your rights to tell me you don't enjoy the cosmetic side of things in the slightest and that's okay. That's a two way street though, and it'd be churlish to deny that it is a big part of the experience for a lot of other people who play the game and I'd hope, regardless of your personal stance on cosmetics, you'd agree that they don't deserve to be subject to exploitative business practises. If it's a "meh, not my problem" thing then you do you, but to that I would say take note of Battlefront 2 and realise the slippery slope to performance enhancing loot boxes is very real.