App Store Devs Must Disclose Loot Crate Odds, Says Apple

As one of the biggest stories of 2017, the Loot Box and whether or not it can be considered gambling is sure to be one big theme going into the new year. Ahead of any Government intervention, new Apple guidelines for App Store submission now include one major new caveat, Loot Boxes on their platform must disclose their odds.

Whether or not this is in direct response to Electronic Arts putting the Loot Box monetization mechanic into the hot seat or not, the end result is that people are more informed about what they’re paying for, which is only a good thing for customers, and something any developer on the level shouldn’t have issues with. Markets where Loot Box type mechanics are banned completely, such as China, have found loopholes, but the more out in the open the issue is, the better.

As far as other news on the Mobile front, Pokemon Go is now leveraging Apple’s AR kit for a more involved experience. Do you want to see more movements like these to inform people about what’s in a loot box? Let us know in the comments.

Apple now mandates that games with loot boxes must disclose the odds of receiving items to users. https://t.co/kR778TcGRb pic.twitter.com/ovoVv18a1f

— Daniel Ahmad (@ZhugeEX) December 21, 2017