A bill has been introduced which proposes a ban on loot boxes and pay-to-win microtransactions in “games played by minors.” It has announced by Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) who says that it will cover games that are designed for kids under the age of 18 and games “whose developers knowingly allow minor players to engage in microtransactions.”
The bill, titled The Protecting Children from Abusive Games Act,” will be introduced to the U.S. Senate soon. Candy Crush is one of the examples cited in the game, particularly its $150 Luscious Bundle, which provides a variety of items to customers so that they can breeze through the game. It will most likely apply to online games as well that sell loot boxes.
Hawley says that game developers shouldn’t be allowed to “monetize addiction” when a game is designed for kids. He added that when kids play games that were designed for adults, they should be walled off from compulsive microtransactions. “Game developers who knowingly exploit children should face legal consequences,” he said.
The bill follows a recent promise from the Federal Trade Commission to investigate loot boxes after a letter was written by Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) highlighting the widespread use of predatory microtransactions in some popular games like Star Wars Battlefront II. Some companies have since pulled back on their microtransactions but there are still plenty of games that use them to make big money.
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