Chris Lee, a Democrat and self-described longtime gamer who has nevertheless described “Battlefront II” as an “ online casino designed to lure kids into spending money.”
“There’s an entire new industry larger than even the film industry which is able to put its products right in the pockets of the average person, including kids,” said Hawaii State Rep. Lawmakers, meanwhile, are considering regulating loot boxes as a form of gambling. Experts say loot boxes prey on addictive impulses that can be particularly difficult for children and other young people to control. The title is likely to be a top item on many holiday shoppers’ lists the original “Battlefront” sold an estimated 12 million copies.īut “Battlefront II,” rated for ages 13 and up, has ignited a firestorm of controversy for the particularly cynical way it pushes players to buy “loot boxes,” random collections of in-game abilities that remain a mystery until purchased. In mid-November, video game publisher Electronic Arts released “Star Wars Battlefront II,” a multiplayer shooter for consoles and PCs.
