Electronic Arts is once again under indictment because of the loot box, which are still a controversial topic in the gaming community today. EA in fact it has been at the center of numerous lawsuits focused on the regulation of loot boxes. Some players have previously sued the company and others using the system, stating that real currencies are used for loot boxes but the chances of getting a specific item appear to be completely random. For this reason, the company has another lawsuit filed against it, this time because of the modality Ultimate Team Series FIFA.
The lawsuit began in California and is related to the dubious nature of Ultimate Team Pack di Electronic Arts, which are basically loot boxes with a different name. The prosecution claims that these in-game purchases require real currency, are used to try to obtain valuable professional footballers and other useful items for their virtual team, but these chances of obtaining are absolutely random. The player then essentially makes a "bet" with no guarantees, in hopes of getting the best player. In practice, the accusation is that these microtransactions are in effect linked to a real one gambling.
The document presented at California authorities from the promoters of the class action says:
EA's Ultimate Team Packs are Loot Boxes. Buying this kind of content is nothing more than an ingame bet. Buying these DLCs for real money simply means betting on getting random prizes in the game, with the promise of receiving rare prizes represented by professional player cards or other bonuses for your virtual team.
Although the outcome of this case is uncertain, it could force the legal system of United States to define loot boxes as a form of gambling or not, putting an end to the matter. The situation, it should be noted, is still a problem in other countries outside the United States as well.
