US Republican senator Josh Hawley claims that the꧅ gaming industry's higher-ups are worried about a bill he plan✤s to introduce which will see pay-to-win microtransactions banned from games.
Hawley's bill, if passed successfully, will leave video game developers and publishers liable to fines if they put loot boxes or pay-to-win features in games which target kids or are๊ played by kids.
The senator, who was interviewed over the phone by , admits he isn't a gamer himself and has no personal experience with microtransactions but is the father of two young sons and has spoken🧔 to l𝐆ots of parents.
He asserts that game companies are basically placing "casinos" in children's games but reckons the reactions to his bill proposal suggest that people are concerned and♌ worried about the possibilities which could stem from its success.
"I think if they thought it were a publicity stunt they wouldn’t be so concerned," he replied after being asked if he believes he's making progress. "I think the reaction of the corporate lobbyists… sort of꧅ strongly suggests that they’re very worri♒ed about this. I think it probably also suggests that they know this practice is not going to stand up to public scrutiny.
"Once parents really understand what’s going on here, and once the general public understands hജow these games are being manipulated, 𓆏how their integrity is being compromised, how basically these companies have found a way to make whole gobs of money without really being upfront about it, and of course the addictive nature of it, I think they’re pretty worried that it’s going to result in public backlash, and it should."
Hawley also explained🉐 why his focus is on children, despite the fact that adults could b🎀e exploited by loot boxes and pay-to-win features too.
"Adults can f🍒or sure be exploited. I think that children - there are a couple of things as we know in a variety of contexts, whether it’s casinos proper or public health issues, we often look at kids and say they’re uniquely vuln꧋erable," he explained. "They don’t necessarily know the nature of these microtransactions, being on the lookout for them in the way that an adult might.
"And ๊while I realize that these microtransactions, these particular kinds, comprom💖ise the integrity of the game no matter who is subject to them, there’s something I think that’s pretty unique to kids and the addiction angle I think is pretty unique to kids as well."
This bill, if ♔it's passed, stands to leave many developers at a loss as pay-to-win has become the model for some very popular titles. Despite Hawley's optimism, 🌌it does seem like a long shot; but stranger things have happened.