If there is a country in the world that “Overwatch” developer Blizzard feels like having a great relationship, it is no other than China. Well, in fact, the studio is once again making a move thanks to the country’s online gambling law. This time around, it involves buying in-game credits for players to use.
Players of the titular shooter title will now have the opportunity to purchase credits as soon as “Overwatch” version 1.12 arrives. These credits will be made available in various groups (i.e. 5, 10, 15, 30, 60 and 120), along with prices that range from around $1.75 (being the smallest) to $35 (being the largest).
The 120-credit level, however, is quite different from the others. That is because the players who buy this will be given 50 extra loot boxes.
Why such restriction is being applied in Overwatch in China
To clarify things, the current restriction Blizzard is implementing is only applicable to the Chinese version of the game. The country required the studio, and other game developers, to cultivate transparency in terms of what players should and should not expect from the microtransactions. The latter, in particular, covers the loot boxes that contain different items. Apparently, these rules are under the calling of China's Ministry of Culture, which aims to prevent any possible illegal or questionable content from surfacing.
Unluckily for the game’s loot boxes, it falls under gambling; hence the rule being implemented.
It is worth noting that due to the law, the way Chinese players buy loot boxes in "Overwatch" dramatically changes. Instead of just purchasing these boxes directly, they will have to buy in-game currency first. Only then can they acquire said boxes as gifts.
China's battle against 'lottery' items
Interestingly, players from around the world took to social media sites to discuss why the rule was made in China. Many suggest that this is also the government’s way of going up against “lottery” type items, which people can use to earn real-time money. This can be likened to the selling of tokens and/or trinkets (mostly in casinos and arcades), which, as history dictates, are being used for illegal trades.
Many have also wondered if the studio plans to implement such system in other countries. Apparently, they will not, though they see it as a possible change in "Overwatch" soon. After all, they always evaluate their systems based on feedback and/or player performance.
