Battlefield V developer EA DICE has stated that the World War II first-person shooter will not feature any loot boxes and that all future maps will be available to all players.
If you paid even an ounce of attention to video game culture last year, you likely heard about the massive outcry against the use of loot boxes, randomized in-game rewards that potentially alter how well you play a game. While loot boxes have been a presence in games for a while, EA DICE’s Star Wars Battlefront II received such heavy criticism that it was forced to remove them after the game launched. The issue became so widespread and incendiary that the countries of Belgium and the Netherlands declared loot boxes illegal, and developers of games like Star Wars Battlefront II, Overwatch, CS:GO, and FIFA 18 could face a prison sentence of up to five years and up to 800,000 euros if they failed to remove loot boxes within an unspecified amount of time.
EA DICE also stated that the game would not feature a premium pass that grants access to separate DLC packs. 2016’s Battlefield 1 included four separate map packs that were available as part of its premium pass, which it sold for $49.99. If a player didn’t purchase the premium pass or individual map packs, they were barred off from large portions of game content, naturally segmenting the player base into the haves and have-nots.
It’s a clear case of EA listening to the opinions of its fans; it’s just concerning that it had to come only after so much grief and legislation. It remains to be seen if Battlefield V will feature some sort of cosmetic loot system (like Overwatch) designed to earn money from players, but if so, it will likely result in another round of outcry.
H/T EA DICE
