So currency exchange is gambling? Because that's all you pretty much said... and that's not how it works. Buying things in game is also not a gamble, be it exactly what I want or a chance at what I want. No, they are not 'standing up' for people's lives, this is a half-hearted attempt at using a 'problem' to further your goal rather than actually stop an epidemic. You don't care, very few 'protesting' honestly cares, and let's not suddenly act like we're caring until we get what we want. Face it, you just want it off the online market. But I don't see a single person going around protesting collectable card games or halo megablock bags that contain a random few mini-figures. I don't see people going around attacking real life 'buy for a chance to get... X' stuff. You know... stuff every kid in the last 80 years has had a plenty of 'surround influence' with yet most people grow up and are sane enough not to blow $2,000 just to get a rare card. Fact is unless you're against all of it you have no merit because you're picking and choosing rather than going against a 'widespread problem'. It's just an underhanded attempt to manipulate an issue into your point of view [u]while it's viable[/u] and then you'll instantly drop it once you get what you want. Which is why I despise these posts. You'll put it up, shout for a couple of seconds, then not care for the rest of your life. Don't go around acting like you're displaying 'the best of heart' for anyone with this push. You're not. And there are a plethora of much more meaningful movements to get behind than worrying about a bad parents who let kids get a hold of credit/debit cards... if you truly are a caring individual. I don't know... how about supporting -blam!- victims and funding for an increase of in state sanctuaries for those under threat... because that's a dire problem that's very prevalent... that no one screams about... just saying. This isn't the noble campaign most try to make it out to be. Unless you go head or [u]actively[/u] support a campaign, which will ultimately fail, against [u]all[/u] forms of 'buy for a chance' that's in reach of minors I won't believe you for a second. You may not like it. That's fine. Opinions are great. But let's not go around pretending to care about the well being of others. -- Gambling is not a transaction. That's why it's a 'gamble' because you have no guarantee of getting [u]anything[/u] back rather than [u]what you want[/u] back which is simply, and only ever will be simply, a transaction. Perhaps a shitty one, but still a transaction. But we have con men to fight if you're against that sort of thing... which you obviously aren't up in arms against either right now... again, which is why a laugh when people pretend they care for the betterment of others. Arguably, not really... since it's super prevalent, destroying cons and ransomers of information/electronics would be much better to support and protect families than going after the 'evil' in game microtransactions that never affect you if you don't buy them... And even if that's true, which it really isn't, is gambling really the problem here? I mean... people get addicted to [u]shopping[/u] all the time and that's never seen as a demon meant to be purged. Again, you're more concerned with 'what' they buy... not that they're wasting money. You don't care that you actually make the world for the better. And, even more specifically, if [u]children[/u] are the reason 'families lose all their money' then why are they letting their children do this? If a child buys 2,000 dollars worth of legos online. That's their fault... shouldn't have happened... but god forbid they buy 5 silver engrams because that 'ingrains bad and long lasting behavior'... -- And then, lastly, if we're just going on the basis of 'addiction' in general... guess what? People can get addicted to pretty much [u]anything[/u]. A possible argument one my conceive is that [u]because[/u] people get addicted to buying micro transactions, [u]it must[/u] be gambling rooted somehow. That's not true. You can get addicted to buying lots of things with chances at something and not have it be a gamble. Again, that's just not knowing a bad transaction when you see one. More of a con than anything else... and even then micro transactions are not cons inherently. Again, shopping is a very well known addiction. You can get addicted to playing games (you can always find stories like that), anything that grants euphoria (that isn't a direct drug, obviously, because they are already illegal unless prescribed), progression in general (freaking people died to Pokemon Go... if that doesn't tell you something). And so much more it's pointless to go on. -- And then, at the end of the day, guess what... for all those people that say "It should just be part of the game." Well... it is. I can easily get 3 engrams a week by doing the bare minimum on each character. I even got 2,000 bright dust one week. Bonus? It doesn't cost a thing. The greatest part of all. All of the micro-transactions right now... are meaningless... to the actual game... surprise. At least in other games micro-transactions can actually affect you even if you don't buy them (pay to win). There are better things to protest, these micro-[u]transactions[/u] are not gambling, and 90% of the people who claim this is an issue in the name of child mental health don't give a damn if a single child is 'saved' from a gambling life. They just want their goal and will then leave.

Considering Tess & her kiosk gambling is simultaneously ignorant and pathetic. Ignorant, because I’m not sure you understand what gambling is, and pathetic because you have such a lack of self control that you need to involve a court to keep yourself from spending money. This is ridiculous. You people need to get a grip and practice some restraint. Unbelievable.

As much as I don’t like micro transactions the have their positive side too. As we all know companies need money to keep them from going bankrupt, if micro transections are removed companies needs to get money from somewhere else, most probably increase the prices of the base came, creates pay walls for extra contents etc. Its not nice for us players but its the truth in the real world of businesses.

Can confirm "kids gambling there money and ruining families". 8 or so years ago, I may have taken a credit card or two and spent many a $$$ on stupid shit like loot crates. Best teen gambler ever.

Can you also start a petition for Magic the Gathering to give me all available cards when I purchase a starter deck? I'll need 4 of each existing card and of each future expansion. I paid for the deck and it's not fair that I'm being punished for not buying boosters.

The micro transactions needs to be banned all together. It's a gross practice that preys on the weakness of certain individuals that cannot help themselves. This should become illegal.

Whilst I'm all for calling out developers for Pay to Win mechanisms, these have existed in other forms of gaming for well over 20 years in trading card games, Magic the Gathering springs to mind. I remember seeing people buy boxes of packets of cards to chase a few rares. Heck just going by my childhood I used to remember buying bubble gum for collectable football cards, I'm sure collectable trading cards are still around with the same mechanism, yet those aren't being called out. Heck if you guys are so intent on calling out cosmetics in a game as gambling let's sound out those gumball machines since you aren't guaranteed which flavour/colour you get when you put in your coins. It's strange how those has never been called out for gambling. For a developer perspective: http://www.pcgamer.com/the-case-for-and-against-loot-boxes-according-to-developers/

Definition of gambling: Gambling requires three elements be present: consideration, chance and prize. All three are there hence it is gambling it does not matter if you think you would buy something or not... Eververse is in a legal sense Gambling, and it will be removed at some point when the authorities around the globe catch up with games and their illegal practices. Here is one more definition of Gambling : "A person engages in gambling if he stakes or risks something of value upon the outcome of a contest of chance or a future contingent event not under his control or influence, upon an agreement or understanding that he or someone else will receive something of value in the event of a certain outcome." Once more all points checked here as well.

Nah, they just have to slap a Mature rating on it and it’s a wrap. Micro transactions aren’t going anywhere. lol

I just used the think micro transactions weren’t bad unless they were pay to win. But I had a really in depth discussion with a friend of mine about it and I came to the following conclusion. It’s gambling without a jackpot. When you go to a casino you exchange real cash for house currency. You then use that house currency for a chance at more chips to exchange back for real currency. This is fully regulated by State and Federal governments. When you go to eververse or any online store with loot boxes you exchange real cash for virtual currency, you then use that virtual cash for a chance at an in game item. There is no exchange back of virtual currency to real cash like a casino. There is no regulation by state or federal government. Now if there wasn’t a change of currency and you can buy that in game item straight up. Cash for product, that would be a solid business practice. You don’t go to a grocery store and exchange currency for a chance at receiving a Turkey. You just buy the Turkey. Micro transactions need to be limited to M rated games only. As IT is gambling.

Maybe the Ships and Sparrow will go to Amanda Holliday where they belong, and Eververse can just go away.

Destiny has COSMETIC microtrasncations while Star Wars has game-changing ones. Who cares?

But before you gamble, [b]SHOULDN'T YOU KNOW THE CONSEQUENCES?[/b]

I hope they make food crates for when you go food shopping. Walk into the store, slap fifty bucks down and say surprise me, if you’re a veggie your gonna be shaking in case you get a steak. Simple solution to all this is just sell what people want, if it’s good enough people will buy it.

People being dismissive of this and outright arguing for the existence of practices like this are the problem and are simply bought by companies. The only games that have any excuse for microtransactions is free to play games, and even then there is no justification for lootboxes further than being predatory towards people. Arguing that people should be smarter, more willful, or not letting their kids get a hold of their money isn't going to magically remove the issue of them being predatory and fostering further addictive behavior for the sake of people running a company and their offshore tax havens. They are gambling whether present definition in a book or law says so or not and people will continue to push that because it's obvious to anyone with a brain not bought by said companies. People defending this at all are pathetic. End of story.