History Main / LootBoxes

Eventually governments would start investigating whether they should be regulated as ''gambling'' -- Japan has banned [[DismantledMacGuffin one particularly addictive form]] of the mechanic since 2012, and a 2016 Chinese ruling banned paid lootboxes completely, though both laws were filled with loopholes (such as how for the former, buying lootbox grants exclusive tokens to be used to purchase desirable prizes on display or to upgrade existing characters, and for the latter, lootboxes are technically not bought with real money, but additional in-game currency required to buy those lootboxes can be bought quicker with real money).

* Discord's AprilFoolsDay 2024 prank involved adding loot boxes to the client. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cc2-4ci4G84 The trailer]] they made to go along with it is notable for achieving 1.4 billion views on accident.

* ''{{VideoGame/Minecraft}}'' parodied these with the locked chests in Beta 1.6, as part of an April Fools Joke. Randomly spawning in new portions of the world, attempting to open them would result in a pop-up to open a "Steve Co. Supply Crate", and lead you to a page to "buy" content from the in-game store. Attempting to do so resulted in a JumpScare from a dinosaur, followed by an "April fools!" message in comic sans. Eventually, the prank was over, and the Locked Chests were set to decay like leaves, but the item data presisted, DummiedOut for '''nearly 3 years''' before their [=ID=] was replaced with stained glass, effectively killing them for good.

[[quoteright:350:[[VideoGame/{{Overwatch}} https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/overwatch_lootbox_gold.jpg]]]]
[[caption-width-right:350:[[WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons You can have the washer and dryer...]] or you can trade it all in for [[MysteryBox what's in the box]]...]]

* There are various Chests on rotation in ''VideoGame/{{Paladins}}'', some unlock one random skin per roll, and others grant you another cosmetic item, such as an [=MVP Pose=], avatar or emote, all of which are '''guaranteed''' to be something you don't already have, as unlike its contemporaries, the game does not give you duplicate items. You can also increase odds in what skin you get by buying eligible skins from the Bounty Store marketplace to increase your odds in getting a desired skin in a chest (which can then be sold on), but one had to be prepared enough to do this. The "no duplicates system" does inevitably lead to players unlocking everything in a specific chest, and then earning more from events, event passes or Trials, which they can't open since there's nothing left for them to win (Battle Chests were notorious for this before their removal). Here are some of the categories:

** There are also Gifts, which are functionally identical to chests, [[DistinctionWithoutADifference but by a different name]], and each tier of gift is based on the pool of items found in the Diamond, Gold or Flair chests. Unlike chests, there is no in-game way to know what's in a gift if you receive one, essentially making them ''worse'' that chests in that regard.

* ''VideoGame/Splatoon2'' has the exceedingly rare non-paid example in the form of the bonuses awarded in Salmon Run, which are obtained for every 100 points you earn during a shift. They're also color-coded based on what type of reward they contain: yellow capsules give coins, green gives ability chunks, blue and orange give tickets for Crusty Sean's food, and pink gives a random piece of [[AndYourRewardIsClothes Grizzco-brand clothing gear]]. Twice per shift, you can also unlock a "superbonus" capsule that is guaranteed to have the highest-tier reward of its specific color.

Loot boxes serve as a point of contention due to ''[[SturgeonsLaw many]]'' [[AllegedlyFreeGame allegedly free games]] which have hidden real and tangible ways of BribingYourWayToVictory behind this [[GameplayRandomization randomized method of acquisition]]. It also crept into paid games, with ''Videogame/TeamFortress2'' and ''Videogame/CounterStrike: Global Offensive'' adding skin cases and the like.[[note]]though ''[=TF2=]'' would transition to free-to-play a few months later, while ''Global Offensive'' would go Free to Play ''six years later''[[/note]] Eventually governments would start investigating whether they should be regulated as ''gambling'' -- Japan has banned [[DismantledMacGuffin one particularly addictive form]] of the mechanic since 2012, and a 2016 Chinese ruling banned paid lootboxes completely, though both laws were filled with loopholes (such as how for the former, buying lootbox grants exclusive tokens to be used to purchase desirable prizes on display or to upgrade existing characters, and for the latter, lootboxes are technically not bought with real money, but additional in-game currency required to buy those lootboxes can be bought quicker with real money). The widespread backlash against ''Videogame/StarWarsBattlefrontII2017'' also lead to many countries in the Western hemisphere taking greater notice, with Belgium, the Netherlands and the Isle of Man implementing restrictions soon after, and the United Kingdom starting an investigation that lead to lootboxes being linked to problem gambling, and regulations are sure to follow with enough evidence.

*** ''VideoGame/Splatoon3'' has a more straightforward (non-paid) example with the Shell-Out Machine, which can dispense anything from ability chunks and drink tickets to titles and banners, including an ultra-rare exclusive seasonal banner. There's also Mystery Boxes that are received from the [[RewardsPass Catalog]] that contain various items.

* ''Videogame/MiddleEarthShadowOfWar'' is one of the most infamous aside of loot boxes next to ''Videogame/StarWarsBattlefrontII2017'' at the time, due to the fact the game is completely single-player other than an asychronous multiplayer ladder system that involves fortress invasion. Most of the game can be completed without them, but their use becomes very prevalent in the Epilogue, Shadow Wars, where you need to complete a long series of fortress defense missions to get the true ending. Later phases of Shadow Wars becomes a grueling task of finding the most optimized orcs to successfully defend or retake fortresses, and loot boxes encouraged speeding up the process. A year after release, the game completely removed the ability to purchase loot boxes (certain daily missions hand them out as rewards) and made the requirements to complete the Epilogue much shorter.

An additional source of controversy, even among players who don't mind or outright enjoy gambling, is that many game publishers ''don't reveal the drop rates''. Whereas casinos and lotteries in most nations have been legally required to tell you the odds of winning for ''decades'', as of 2021 there's almost never a similar transparency requirement for lootboxes. As such it's usually a mystery what your actual chances are of getting the prize you want out of a lootbox. Though "very low" is usually a safe guess. Some publishers now voluntarily disclose the odds in response to player backlash, but many still keep it a closely-guarded secret. In the latter case, buying loot boxes is more similar to gambling in an ''illegal'' casino than in a legitimate one.

** Event and themed chests, such as the "Little Box of Horrors" cost various amounts of Crystals and contain various items from past events or that share a specific theme, though there is at least one skin that is only tangentially related.

* ''{{VideoGame/Overwatch}}'' is one of the chief {{Trope Codifier}}s of its modern implementation, at least for launching "loot boxes" in mainstream lexicon. Loot boxes are obtained in 3 ways: earning enough XP for a new player level, purchased in bulk via in-game {{Microtransactions}}, or by playing the Arcade, which lets you earn a lootbox after every third win, stacking 3 times per week (later changed to completing enough games using the Role Queue system). Each one contains four hero-based cosmetic rewards, or varying amounts of gold coins to purchase said rewards with. Any duplicates will be converted to coins, albeit at a lower rate at what they actually cost. All event-specific items are tied to Event-Specific lootboxes, which requires opening those specific LootBoxes to get at the stuff you want, or by obtaining enough coins to buy them outright for [[AdamSmithHatesYourGuts three times their normal cost]] for the newest items. Like with ''Battlefront II'' above, it was investigated by Belgium for whether its lootboxes constitutes gambling or not, [[https://www.nu.nl/games/5238218/fifa-18-en-overwatch-overtreden-wet-volgens-belgische-kansspelcommissie-.html and their final word is that they do]]. Perhaps inspired by this, Blizzard announced for ''Overwatch 2'' that lootboxes [[SubvertedTrope would be abandoned]] in favor of a live-service free-to-play model (similar to newer competitors like ''VideoGame/{{Fortnite}}'' and ''VideoGame/{{Valorant}}''), featuring more direct, on-demand purchasing of cosmetic goodies.

* ''{{VideoGame/Overwatch}}'' has loot boxes that are obtained in 3 ways; Earning enough XP for a new player level, purchased in bulk via in-game {{Microtransactions}}, or by playing the Arcade, which lets you earn a lootbox after every third win, stacking 3 times per week (later changed to completing enough games using the Role Queue system). Each one contains four hero-based cosmetic rewards, or varying amounts of gold coins to purchase said rewards with. Any duplicates will be converted to coins, albeit at a lower rate at what they actually cost. All event-specific items are tied to Event-Specific lootboxes, which requires opening those specific LootBoxes to get at the stuff you want, or by obtaining enough coins to buy them outright for '''''three times their normal cost''''' for the newest items[[note]]Voice Lines and Emotes are 750 (From 250), Victory Poses are 225 (from 75), Sprays are 75 (from 25) and Skin prices vary on the rarity, but Legendaries are the most egregious, requiring '''3000 coins''' to purchase. For comparison, unboxing a duplicate Legendary gives you a measly 250 Coins as compensation.[[/note]]. Not surprisingly, many players have taken to not liking the event-specific skin costs being disproportionately high for what their normal cost is, and see it as way of Blizzard trying to make players buy the aforementioned bulk lootbox packs, in order to up the chance of getting something you want, despite lootboxes, by their very nature, being incredibly unreliable. Notably, [[TropeNamer It's also the first game to directly call this trope by the name of "loot boxes"]]. Like with Battlefront II above, It was investigated by Belgium for whether its lootboxes constitutes gambling or not: [[https://www.nu.nl/games/5238218/fifa-18-en-overwatch-overtreden-wet-volgens-belgische-kansspelcommissie-.html And their final word is that they do.]]

Loot boxes serve as a point of contention due to ''[[SturgeonsLaw many]]'' [[AllegedlyFreeGame allegedly free games]] which have hidden real and tangible ways of BribingYourWayToVictory behind this [[GameplayRandomization randomized method of acquisition]]. It also crept into paid games, with ''Videogame/TeamFortress2'' and ''Videogame/CounterStrike: Global Offensive'' adding skin cases and the like.[[note]]though ''[=TF2=]'' would transition to free-to-play a few months later, which ''Global Offensive'' would go Free to Play ''six years later''[[/note]] Eventually governments would start investigating whether they should be regulated as ''gambling'' -- Japan has banned [[DismantledMacGuffin one particularly addictive form]] of the mechanic since 2012, and a 2016 Chinese ruling banned paid lootboxes completely, though both laws were filled with loopholes (such as how for the former, buying lootbox grants exclusive tokens to be used to purchase desirable prizes on display or to upgrade existing characters, and for the latter, lootboxes are technically not bought with real money, but additional in-game currency required to buy those lootboxes can be bought quicker with real money). The widespread backlash against ''Videogame/StarWarsBattlefrontII2017'' also lead to many countries in the Western hemisphere taking greater notice, with Belgium, the Netherlands and the Isle of Man implementing restrictions soon after, and the United Kingdom starting an investigation that lead to lootboxes being linked to problem gambling, and regulations are sure to follow with enough evidence.

* ''VideoGame/AnotherEden'' uses this mechanic as your main means of recruiting additional party members -- a majority of the game's [[LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters massive playable cast]] is obtained this way. You access it by spending Chrono Stones, which are mostly acquired through the AchievementSystem. By just playing through the game, you get enough for several 10-pulls without spending a dime. It is possible (and a [[invoked]] SelfImposedChallenge) to clear the game using only plot-given characters, without using a single Chrono Stone.

* Downplayed with ''VideoGame/{{Zombidle}}'': Chests contain three items (only one of which can be chosen per chest) of variable usefulness. While they're mostly obtained by defeating bosses and reset after every run, they can be crafted in exchange for white orbs (which are obtained at the end of every run), which can also be bought in exchange for diamonds (the only currency that can be purchased for real money, though there's plenty of ways to earn them in-game).