Games with microtransactions get label in North America
The US Entertainment Software Rating Board plans to brand games with microtransactions or other in-game purchases. The In-Game Purchases logo will appear on physical packaging and at download stores.
The addition of the logo to games is an initiative of the ESRB itself. The organization reports in a message on Twitter that it is a response to the recent fuss about microtransactions and loot boxes in games. All games that offer something for payment in any way will soon receive the logo. For example, it may involve the sale of DLC, microtransactions, loot boxes or the removal of advertisements for a fee.
The ESRB has also set up a page called Parental Tools that aims to provide parents of gaming children with insight into ways in which they can prevent children from playing games with a certain age restriction. The page also includes tips for limiting your ability to make in-game purchases across platforms.
The ESRB says it is a “first step for many” and says it will remain involved in the discussion about loot boxes and microtransactions in games. The organization does not see loot boxes as a form of gambling and emphasized that, according to Kotaku, in a press conference. “We think it’s a fun way to get virtual items that can be used in the game,” the ESRB said.
The ESRB rates games for the North American market and issues age ratings and content judgment. The organization does this at the request of publishers, who voluntarily choose to do so. Unlike in Europe, age classification is not regulated by law. The ESRB was founded in 1994 by the Entertainment Software Association, the video game industry association in the United States.