The Battlefront 2 Controversy – How the Star Wars Game Became a Hot Issue

The Star Wars 2 Battlefront game has become such a controversial topic that parents and government officials from the USA, Belgium, the Netherland, and the UK come together to investigate the new exciting feature of the game – the battlefront 2 loot boxes. Read all about the position of the gambling authorities and the ingenious creators here.

Star Wars Battlefront 2 Loot Boxes: The Gambling Element for All Kind of Audiences

Prizes and rewards have always been part of the engagement psychology of a game. Make someone work for something, and they will appreciate much more due to the amount of time and efforts they invested. Despite the natural human inclination, the creators of the Star Wars Battlefront 2 decided to raise funds by allowing players to get a surprise element during the game by paying for it in a real-life store, kiosk or an online outlet.

At a game level, that meant providing an incentive for players – kids, teens, and adults – to purchase the loot boxes due to the improvements that those hidden items can bring to the hero inside the game. And, yes, sometimes, the box can even bring something as ridiculous as victory poses and emotes. Essential interpersonal skills in case that the Skywalker farmboy becomes an invincible freak by collecting more of the other worthy abilities in the battlefront two gambling round.

Public Reactions and Controversial Points

Anyway, who would want to waste tons of time into obtaining a powerful set of skills in a game where you can pay for it? Just an example of what players can achieve is a 100% life protection at level 4 in contrast to the 50% chance of survival at level 1 of the game.

Where does the controversy come? It’s not about the superpowers that a character can obtain or that players must pay to get them.

An official statement by the EA (the creator of the game) mentions that the random gift boxes are not gambling since the player’s chances for a win do not depend on purchasing loot boxes. Indeed. No, it does not depend on them, but loot boxes can drastically reduce the house edge and increase the odds for survival. In similar fashion to slots, players buy a ticket for the game. Then, register their ticket and get their prize. No one knows what it is going to be. The only certain thing is that one either ends up with something cool and useful or a total-waste-for-money pose. No time for superficiality in this cruel game of the Dark Forces.

Present Measures against the Gambling Element

The gambling authorities in Belgium and the Netherlands were amongst the first one to examine the enhanced version of the Star Wars 2 game. In Belgium, there were surveys to acknowledge the impacts of the loot boxes on society and customer expectations. The survey results showed that loot boxes are to blame for shady prizes, emotional instability, and mismatch between people’s expectations and the advantage that is earned in the game.

The Dutch officials categorised the gaming model as one containing ‘moderate to high addiction levels.’ The ‘gambling’ feature of the game was banned in those two countries. Sadly, the UK Gambling Commission declares that loot boxes are not gambling as players are not rewarded with a prize that has the worth of real-life currency. Perhaps, the UK Gambling Commission should make an official proposal to the EA executives for a new add-on in their 3rd Star Wars edition.