In case you don't know , many computer games have "loot boxes". These are items purchased for real money that contain something useful or desirable in the game. They're gambling, pure and simple, and as there is no way to prevent children buying them, they are about as dodgy as they can be. Only Belgium in the EU has had the balls to actually say so and ban them (well done Belgium).
All that stern finger wagging aside I have to admit once a year I do succumb and during the Christmas event in World of Tanks I treat myself to a bundle of these. I regularly play WoT and used to pay a monthly subscription for a "premium" account plus a little extra for in game "goodies". However the structure of the loot boxes (sorry "Christmas boxes") in WoT is that they're guaranteed to include some "Gold" (in game currency) and Premium account time. The last two years I have checked the accumulation of these and have happily discovered that the "value" of a big bundle of these loot boxes in Gold and Premium account time has easily exceeded the amount I would have spent on my monthly premium subscription, so I can justify my gambling as a money saving exercise. Probably.
The other hook of WoT Loot boxes is they can include at random a new Premium tanks. Premium tanks give increased credit returns in games, and cam also be used to train crews for "normal" vehicles. If you play WoT regularly you tend to pick a couple up. The Christmas ones are not usually available by other means and yes, it means if you want one, you have to buy boxes with no guarantee of getting the one you want. Like I said, gambling pure and simple. Normally for me this isn't a problem - as I explained I don't buy the boxes for this reason, so anything I get is a bonus. Normally....
This year there was a British Premium tank destroyer as one of the three exclusive vehicles. This is the GSOR1008* - a tank that didn't exist except on paper (lots of that in WoT) . And I desired it. Looking at the initial reviews this looks like a very Gucci piece of kit and will make a good addition to my collection. Problem is, what if I don't get one, or get one of the other two exclusives - you cant swap or trade them. If I got to the end of my bundle and no GSOR, would I buy more and roll the dice, or just say "it was not to be"?
So I bought my big bundle of boxes, and for the first time felt a little anxious - Did I feel lucky? and I started to open them.
75 boxes cost £85.55 (gulp). You get a 33% discount if you bulk buy (of course). A full year of Premium time costs £68.72 but I do tend to top up a little through the year as I sometimes buy things with gold so I usually spend maybe a tenner a month (ish).
Box no 3 kicked in the special animation that suggested I had one of the exclusive Premium tanks - excitement mounted but sadly this was the ISU152K - close but no cigar.
Box no 27 - same animation but this time a GSOR!!! phew.
Onwards and 8 later I got the Bison - the last of the exclusive tanks - so a full house and feeling quite pleased with myself, and still 30 to go.
In the end in addition to the three exclusives, I got:
30k Gold - equivalent of £84.44 to buy, 72 days of premium account (somewhat disappointing) and about 4 million in silver - the lesser in game currency. I'm going to spend some of the Gold to extend my premium account to next Christmas.
So not too bad.
However I still think this system is gambling and really should be banned or restricted. I'm sure quite a few parents are going to wake up to a big bill 'cos little Johnny has been pressing the "buy" button on a game account his dad has linked a payment method to.
*GSOR (I think) is General Staff Ordnance Requirement
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