The controversy surrounding video games using monetized loot boxes continues unabated across the industry. While some countries, like Belgium and the Netherlands, have banned loot boxes, other regions including the United States have allowed the practice to go on without regulation. Defense of the practice within the gaming industry has at times been questionable. Just the latest example is from Electronic Arts, which claims that FC 25 Coins players "love" loot boxes in the franchise.
Eurogamer recently reached out to Electronic Arts regarding its loot box practices in the FIFA franchise, following a decision by the UK government not to regulate the practice. EA responded with a statement defending the practice and why it believes FIFA Ultimate Team and FC 25 Ultimate Team loot boxes are necessary. In that statement, EA explains that it believes these FIFA loot boxes "are a part of FIFA that players love," noting that they have been a part of the FIFA franchise for over a decade.
Expanding on why players "love" FIFA loot boxes, EA says that, "fans love that the game reflects the real-world excitement and strategy of building and managing a squad." As for the monetization aspect of that, EA says that, "Giving players the choice to spend if they want to is fair." This argument is then repeated by EA, with the company asserting that spending real money on FIFA loot boxes is "entirely optional." This is a common refrain in defense of loot boxes, and has even been repeated by the ESA, the US video game industry's largest trade association.
EA's statement continues, saying that it doesn't "encourage spending over earning rewards through game play." Further, EA claims that the vast majority of loot boxes opened in FIFA games are not purchased with real money and that 9 out of 10 opened FC 25 Ultimate Team Packs in FC 25 are earned.
The statement from EA FC Coins for sale does not, unfortunately, directly address the most controversial aspects of loot boxes. Those being that loot boxes are akin to gambling and that addiction can be a result. For example, one UK study found that as many as 1 in 10 young gamers had gone in debt buying loot boxes.
