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Weeks ago, Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) released an outline for the The Protecting Children from Abusive Games Act, aimed at stopping randomized loot boxes and pay-to-win mechanics in the game industry. Today, Hawley was joined by Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) in formally introducing that bill in the Senate, complete with an 18-page draft of its legislative text.
Perhaps the most interesting portion of the bill attempts to define so-called "pay-to-win" mechanics in games. Those are defined broadly here as purchasable content that "assists a user in accomplishing an achievement within the game that can otherwise be accomplished without the purchase of such transaction" or which "permits a user to continue to access content of the game that had previously been accessible to the user but has been made inaccessible after the expiration of a timer or a number of gameplay attempts."
For multiplayer games, this would also include any purchasable in-game content that "from the perspective of a reasonable user, provides a competitive advantage."
As far as loot boxes are concerned, the act targets games where purchasable in-game content is randomized or partially randomized. This includes games where you purchase one item for the chance to purchase unknown or random items in the future, closing one potential loophole before it even starts.
(Score: 4, Touché) by crafoo on Saturday May 25 2019, @11:32AM (5 children)
Good to see our lawmakers are tackling the hard-hitting, critical issues that confront our nation. Good work guys.
(Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday May 25 2019, @12:12PM (1 child)
Well, if you actually do attempt to address real issues like Trump you see what happens. Rich idiots form coup attempts and try to undermine you, while poor idiots ramble incoherently about lies they tell each other about you on the internet.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday May 25 2019, @03:54PM
And normal idiots like you who tell lies about each other.
(Score: 2) by stormreaver on Saturday May 25 2019, @12:59PM (2 children)
Just because murderers exist doesn't mean that bank robbers should get a free ride.
(Score: 5, Insightful) by fyngyrz on Saturday May 25 2019, @02:40PM (1 child)
That's a false metaphor for the issue, which is not in the least like murder/robbery; it's personal choice or being forbidden to choose which means there should not be a law: [fyngyrz.com]
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Wow. Apparently it's "rude" to ask the parents
of a kid on a leash if it was a rescue.
(Score: 1) by khallow on Saturday May 25 2019, @10:08PM