Please support Game Informer. Print magazine subscriptions are less than $2 per issue
News
Rocket League Jettisons Hidden Loot Boxes
Developer Psyonix has long tried to look at the way Rocket League presents rewards and balance that with a desire to monetize the game effectively. Critics have pointed to the game's loot boxes and heavy emphasis on customization as incompatible with the game's large audience of children. Now, it seems, Psyonix is taking their first step toward trying to make their loot boxes less predatory.
At an unnamed point later this year, Rocket League will show players what is in a box before they buy it. They will still technically be random, but players won't have to purchase a box and get dupes or something they didn't want, leading to more box purchases. If this sounds familiar, it is because Fortnite instituted it in their Save the World mode in January of this year. In their post on the subject, Psyonix draws the same comparison, and suggests the new Epic ownership is part of why this change was made.
While this is definitely a good move, it is also literally the least the company can do to keep up with evolving-though-specific laws emerging around the loot boxes. Presumably, this change will go into effect on all versions of the game, including consoles and Steam. At least they didn't refer to them as surprise mechanics.
On
On
Off
Off
Products In This Article
Rocket League
Platform:
PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, PC
Release Date:
July 7, 2015 (PlayStation 4, PC),
February 17, 2016 (Xbox One),
November 14, 2017 (Switch)
I’d like to ask you to support Game Informer’s continued coverage of games with a subscription. For less than two dollars per issue, we mail you a full year of 10 print magazines, each with cover stories and preview features filled with exclusive details about the most exciting upcoming games. We profile and interview game creators. We look back on the rich history of gaming, and we celebrate what’s next.
Here on the website, we offer much of our content for free, including game reviews, daily news, videos, event coverage, and more – all with minimal ads.
We do so with a small editorial team, alongside contributing paid writers from around the world – over 65 individuals from 9 countries around the world, just in the last couple of years.
It’s not possible without support.
In a time when game makers and games coverage have faced hard struggles and layoffs, the future of this 30+ year magazine and community is at risk. Our new standalone magazine subscription is the number one way you can keep us alive – and we believe you’ll get a pretty fantastic gaming magazine in your mailbox every few weeks for your trouble.
Thank you.
