What are loot boxes?

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Article summary

This article explains what loot boxes are and why they have become controversial. It explores how loot boxes are designed to make us want to buy them, covering design concepts including:

Juiciness – drama and excitement
Skins – costumes and accessories
The Will to Win – competitiveness
Free Loot – getting stuff that seems free
Loot Envy – wanting what other players have got
Knowing these design tricks might help

5 Things to look out for when it comes to loot boxes

Loot boxes have become so controversial that some types have been banned in a few countries. It’s because they can make players act in a certain way, which might not be good for them.

1. Juiciness

Loot boxes are built to seem exciting - they are bright, flashy, dramatic, and have sounds and visual effects that grab your attention.

In game design, this is called "juiciness", and it really works to entice players to keep buying loot boxes, keep opening them, and keep getting the "excitement" that comes with them.

2. Skins

In video games we all want our characters to stand out, and instead of earning new costumes through gameplay, loot boxes allow you to simply pay for them.

However, which skins you get can sometimes be unpredictable, and so you're encouraged to keep buying loot boxes to try and get the appearance you really want.

3. The will to win

Other rewards can directly affect your gameplay experience, by making your character stronger, tougher or faster. This allows you to progress through a game more rapidly than your friends.

So why work for that, when you can just pay for it? The desire to win in the game can pull you into paying for more and more loot boxes, and your friends do the same to keep up, all getting caught in a "race" to buy the best items.

4. "Free" loot

Games often claim you’re getting “free” loot boxes, if you spend more money. So the more you pay in total, the less you pay per loot box.

This encourages you, the player, to spend more money at once in order to get those "free" loot boxes, and to spend more money as a whole.

5. Loot envy

Because other players can see what you get from loot boxes, they are also designed to both help you show off your items - encouraging your friends to buy loot boxes - and to help your friends show off, making you want to buy loot boxes!

In both cases the games are designed to make friends feel jealous of what others have, and purchase loot boxes to compete.

Article: 5 min read

Learning objectives

(from the set out by the UK Council for Internet Safety)

‘I can explain how the internet can be used to sell and buy things’
‘I can describe some of the methods used to encourage people to buy things online (e.g. advertising offers; in-app purchases, pop-ups) and can recognise some of these when they appear online’
‘I understand the concept of persuasive design and how it can be used to influence peoples’ choices’

Glossary

Loot Box: a virtual item that is consumable by the user, where they redeem a selection of virtual items, sometimes in exchange for real money
Progress: development towards a goal
Currency: money or goods to exchange
Threads: clothes/costume/outfit
Controversial: something that causes upset or argue, often an opinion that has been voiced
Purchase: to buy, either with virtual or real money

Topic introductions and starters

Before the video:

-Ask pupils to write down what they think a loot box is and where they might find one online

After the video:

Discuss the different definitions of a loot box and agree on a class definition
Clarify the understanding of other new vocabulary and terminology and write a class glossary: loot box, progress, currency, threads, real-world, controversial, banned, designers, dramatic, entice, skins, appearance, rewards, claim, envy, purchase, invest
In pairs or small groups, Ask children to discuss their own experiences of loot boxes Expand to include online adverts in general if not many people know about them
Use a printed copy of the article to highlight the most important parts of each section – use this to create a summary of the article with only one sentence for each part
Write a catchy slogan or phrase to inform young people about loot boxes

Discussion Points

Are the design tricks used unfair? Should the game designers be more up-front with the dangers of purchasing loot boxes? Should they have clearer reminders that real money is being spent?
Should loot boxes be banned? Should people have the choice? How are they dangerous?
Do loot boxes make games more exciting and fun? Does it make the game more interesting? Does it cause a divide between those who earn rewards and those who pay for them?
Why do people get addicted to buying loot boxes? Is it an easier option in order to progress? Are they jealous of other friends who have things they don’t? Are they showing off?

Fillers and fast finisher activities

-Draw illustrations of different types of loot boxes using some of the tricks described in the article – use ICT tools if possible
-Ask pupils to write a description of how they would change how loot boxes work. Could they be made fairer?
-Create an Acrostic poem about the temptations of loot boxes using the letters LOOT BOX as the first letter of each line
-Create a graphic or picture banner to go with each heading in the article

Signposting potential homework activities

-Share the video with family and friends – ask about their experiences with loot boxes and in-game purchasing
-Look at some of the games you are familiar with and look closely at any loot boxes or in-game purchasing – do they use the design tricks from the video?
-Create a picture dictionary of the 5 design tricks using online illustrations and drawing to explain each one