Senator introduces bill to ban "loot boxes" and pay-to-win microtransactions...

[aaronleland]

What the hell are "microtransactions"? Is it gambling?

The loot boxes are what I think people argue is gambling, but numerous countries have shot down that idea. Microtransactions are what they call "pay-to-win" You can spend many hours grinding to purchase certain things, or you can pay money, and be given them immediately.

 

[aaronleland]

Is this really a priority for our lawmakers? Telling video game companies what imaginary items they can and can't sell? How about making video game companies create parental controls so parents become responsible for what their kids do in game? Oh, they already do that?

JOSH HAWLEY 2020!

You only hate on pay-to-win cuz you can't afford to win.

Actually, Warframe is a thing now. And I am sucking off the government titty...

Simple question, why can't you do something useful, productive, creative, novel?

Time to get deep.

I have a slew of emotional issues. Ones that a state sanctioned psychologist and a federal judge said impaired my ability to do those things in a meaningful capacity.

Meaning I have manic depression, bi-polar disorder, and PTSD. Not to mention I was recently diagnosed with autism. (News to me)

So why don't I do any of those things? Try wrestling with the chaos roiling about in your mind 24 hours a day 7 days a week, fighting to keep them from for driving you to commit suicide. Then imagine if you have any willpower to do anything else afterwards.

I use gaming as a way to cope. Gaming has prevented me from killing myself, many times. I'd much rather be gaming than contemplating my mortality.

(This TMI moment has been brought to you by Oddball 's weirdly satisfying clown avatar)

TLDR

 

[TemplarKormac]

JOSH HAWLEY 2020!

You only hate on pay-to-win cuz you can't afford to win.

Actually, Warframe is a thing now. And I am sucking off the government titty...

Simple question, why can't you do something useful, productive, creative, novel?

Time to get deep.

I have a slew of emotional issues. Ones that a state sanctioned psychologist and a federal judge said impaired my ability to do those things in a meaningful capacity.

Meaning I have manic depression, bi-polar disorder, and PTSD. Not to mention I was recently diagnosed with autism. (News to me)

So why don't I do any of those things? Try wrestling with the chaos roiling about in your mind 24 hours a day 7 days a week, fighting to keep them from for driving you to commit suicide. Then imagine if you have any willpower to do anything else afterwards.

I use gaming as a way to cope. Gaming has prevented me from killing myself, many times. I'd much rather be gaming than contemplating my mortality.

(This TMI moment has been brought to you by Oddball 's weirdly satisfying clown avatar)

TLDR

QUIET YOU!

 

[kyzr]

Is this really a priority for our lawmakers? Telling video game companies what imaginary items they can and can't sell? How about making video game companies create parental controls so parents become responsible for what their kids do in game? Oh, they already do that?

JOSH HAWLEY 2020!

You only hate on pay-to-win cuz you can't afford to win.

Actually, Warframe is a thing now. And I am sucking off the government titty...

Simple question, why can't you do something useful, productive, creative, novel?

Time to get deep.

I have a slew of emotional issues. Ones that a state sanctioned psychologist and a federal judge said impaired my ability to do those things in a meaningful capacity.

Meaning I have manic depression, bi-polar disorder, and PTSD. Not to mention I was recently diagnosed with autism. (News to me)

So why don't I do any of those things? Try wrestling with the chaos roiling about in your mind 24 hours a day 7 days a week, fighting to keep them from for driving you to commit suicide. Then imagine if you have any willpower to do anything else afterwards.

I use gaming as a way to cope. Gaming has prevented me from killing myself, many times. I'd much rather be gaming than contemplating my mortality.

(This TMI moment has been brought to you by Oddball 's weirdly satisfying clown avatar)

Posting with us is a good relaxing past time. If you have reasons to do what you do, fine. I'm laughing at post #18 explaining his typical day, sounds like a single guy, I was married with children when young, so didn't have much free time. From post #18:
"I worked for 11 hours today. Now I'm getting drunk and high, while posting on a message board. I might play some video games, but not sure yet. I'll probably end the night by jerking off. Go to bed, and go back to work for another 11-12 hours tomorrow. Rinse, repeat. I think I earned playing video games today."

 

[aaronleland]

JOSH HAWLEY 2020!

You only hate on pay-to-win cuz you can't afford to win.

Actually, Warframe is a thing now. And I am sucking off the government titty...

Simple question, why can't you do something useful, productive, creative, novel?

Time to get deep.

I have a slew of emotional issues. Ones that a state sanctioned psychologist and a federal judge said impaired my ability to do those things in a meaningful capacity.

Meaning I have manic depression, bi-polar disorder, and PTSD. Not to mention I was recently diagnosed with autism. (News to me)

So why don't I do any of those things? Try wrestling with the chaos roiling about in your mind 24 hours a day 7 days a week, fighting to keep them from for driving you to commit suicide. Then imagine if you have any willpower to do anything else afterwards.

I use gaming as a way to cope. Gaming has prevented me from killing myself, many times. I'd much rather be gaming than contemplating my mortality.

(This TMI moment has been brought to you by Oddball 's weirdly satisfying clown avatar)

Posting with us is a good relaxing past time. If you have reasons to do what you do, fine. I'm laughing at post #18 explaining his typical day, sounds like a single guy, I was married with children when young, so didn't have much free time. From post #18:
"I worked for 11 hours today. Now I'm getting drunk and high, while posting on a message board. I might play some video games, but not sure yet. I'll probably end the night by jerking off. Go to bed, and go back to work for another 11-12 hours tomorrow. Rinse, repeat. I think I earned playing video games today."

Of course I'm a single guy, with no kids. I decided many years ago I was too irresponsible for that. Aaron likes his Aaron time.

 

[TemplarKormac]

JOSH HAWLEY 2020!

You only hate on pay-to-win cuz you can't afford to win.

Actually, Warframe is a thing now. And I am sucking off the government titty...

Simple question, why can't you do something useful, productive, creative, novel?

Time to get deep.

I have a slew of emotional issues. Ones that a state sanctioned psychologist and a federal judge said impaired my ability to do those things in a meaningful capacity.

Meaning I have manic depression, bi-polar disorder, and PTSD. Not to mention I was recently diagnosed with autism. (News to me)

So why don't I do any of those things? Try wrestling with the chaos roiling about in your mind 24 hours a day 7 days a week, fighting to keep them from for driving you to commit suicide. Then imagine if you have any willpower to do anything else afterwards.

I use gaming as a way to cope. Gaming has prevented me from killing myself, many times. I'd much rather be gaming than contemplating my mortality.

(This TMI moment has been brought to you by Oddball 's weirdly satisfying clown avatar)

Posting with us is a good relaxing past time. If you have reasons to do what you do, fine. I'm laughing at post #18 explaining his typical day, sounds like a single guy, I was married with children when young, so didn't have much free time. From post #18:
"I worked for 11 hours today. Now I'm getting drunk and high, while posting on a message board. I might play some video games, but not sure yet. I'll probably end the night by jerking off. Go to bed, and go back to work for another 11-12 hours tomorrow. Rinse, repeat. I think I earned playing video games today."

Uh... now I feel like an idiot.

AARON, DON'T YOU DARE

 

[Dekster]

Gaming helps some with PTSD

How Video Games Are Helping Young Veterans Cope

Praise for Video Games as PTSD Therapy

 

[Blackrook]

If the government can outlaw selling loot boxes to children, then the government is saying it can outlaw selling anything to children. You might as well outlaw selling toys, games, cereal and candy to children. It's called capitalism. Love it or move to Cuba.

 

[Lewdog]

Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) today announced a bill that would ban loot boxes and pay-to-win microtransactions in “games played by minors,” a broad label that the senator says will include both games designed for kids under 18 and games “whose developers knowingly allow minor players to engage in microtransactions.”

Hawley will introduce the bill, “The Protecting Children from Abusive Games Act,” to the U.S. Senate soon. In press materials announcing the bill, Hawley’s team brought up the Activision game Candy Crush as an egregious example of pay-to-win microtransactions thanks to its $150 “Luscious Bundle” that comes with a whole bunch of goodies. This bill will also likely apply to a host of online games that feature loot boxes and other ways in which players can spend money for real benefits.

“When a game is designed for kids, game developers shouldn’t be allowed to monetize addiction,” Hawley said in a press release. “And when kids play games designed for adults, they should be walled off from compulsive microtransactions. Game developers who knowingly exploit children should face legal consequences.”

Last fall, the Federal Trade Commission promised to investigate loot boxes following a letter from Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) that she wrote in the wake of 2017's string of games featuring the heavy usage of predatory microtransactions, such as Middle-earth: Shadow of War and Star Wars Battlefront II. Although some companies have pulled back on the practice, popular games like Overwatch, FIFA, and Apex Legends continue to make big money off randomized microtransactions. Many of those games are played by both adults and children.

Hawley, 39, has become known in Washington for criticizing major tech companies Facebook and Google, often accusing them of anti-conservative bias.

Is this really a priority for our lawmakers? Telling video game companies what imaginary items they can and can't sell? How about making video game companies create parental controls so parents become responsible for what their kids do in game? Oh, they already do that?

This is actually a big deal in China. They have to give odds on everything and it is treated just the same as gambling.

aaronleland are you a CGC member?