Nintendo Releases Official Statement About New Lootbox Initiative

Earlier this month, we reported that Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft had agreed to a joint initiative to require all paid lootboxes on their consoles to disclose their drop rates by 2020.

Today, we now have an official statement from Nintendo about this new initiative. The statement officially confirms their commitment to the cause, and that the new regulations will apply to both new and past games which offer purchase of “randomised virtual items”.

At Nintendo, ensuring that our customers can make informed choices when they play our games is very important. As part of our ongoing efforts in this area, Nintendo will require disclosure of drop rates in Nintendo Switch games that offer randomised virtual items for purchase, such as loot boxes. This requirement will apply to all new games and includes updates to current games that add loot boxes through in-game purchases.

“We also offer tools like our Nintendo Switch Parental Controls mobile app, which empowers parents to choose what works for their family, including managing in-game purchases and setting playtime limits.”

What do you think? Let us know in the comments below.