Goodbye to booster packs in Gods Unchained?

I'm JFA, promoter of GU Masters, and it's very likely that the title of this article has surprised you. Have you ever stopped to think about what would happen if Gods Unchained couldn't continue to distribute cards through the sale of packs? It may not, but this is more than just an exercise in speculation. Sounds intriguing? I hope so, because that's how it should be. Keep reading to satisfy your curiosity, I am convinced that this topic will be interesting to you.

The Role of Card Packs in Collectible Card Games Like Gods Unchained

If you're a fan of trading card games, starting with the legendary Magic The Gathering, you know better than anyone that Cards are an essential element in these games and the envelopes in which they are marketed play a fundamental role in their traditional business model . In fact, selling card packs from each new expansion has been the main source of revenue for printed card games. On the other hand, the same thing happens in this type of digital game, although the truth is that there are differences from the behavioral point of view of the players (we will address this shortly).

After these preliminary clarifications, let's get into the matter. Why would these types of games have to give up the format of envelopes for the sale of cards? To answer this question we have to talk first about the loot boxes .

Are card packs and loot boxes comparable?

The "Loot boxes" ( loot boxes ) have gained prominence over the last few years. In case you're wondering what they are exactly, I'll tell you: it's a random reward mechanic that allows you to access exclusive content (characters, cosmetic items, etc.) in exchange for payment. In other words, they work in an analogous way to any game of chance (raffles, lotteries, tombolas... you know).

If you're not too young, you've probably collected stickers (or "stamps" or whatever you want to call it). Packs with collectible cards, in short. However, it is true that collectible card games are a somewhat special case and, as I said before, there are differences between the physical (printed) and digital formats. Be that as it may, the mechanics are still comparable... disburse a certain amount of money in order to access certain randomly generated rewards .

In case this topic really interests you, it is worth reading this academic article by Topias Mattinen, Joseph Macey and Juho Hamari entitled "A Ruse by Any Other Name: Comparing Loot Boxes and Collectible Card Games Using Magic Arena" . In their case, they focus on games such as Magic The Gathering (as a paradigmatic example of a collectible card game in physical format) and on several web2 collectible card games in digital format such as Magic The Gathering Arena. They do not incorporate any web3 games into their analysis, but the conclusions are still relevant since they do contemplate the possibility that there is a secondary market in which card resale can take place. Below, I highlight a paragraph from his Conclusions (Page 22):

"Overall, our findings suggest that there is sufficient evidence to consider physical card packs to be distinct from digital loot boxes and digital card packs, thus challenging the stance that gift boxes should not be regulated, as they are similar to other unregulated game mechanics. This is not to say that we believe that loot boxes and trading card games should, or should not, be regulated, but that the direct equivalence of loot boxes and booster packs in trading card games is a fallacy. The regulation of digital items should focus on the commercialization of random monetization methods and increasing the transparency of information, especially in environments frequented by younger or vulnerable players. In addition, it is necessary to address the role that markets play in these digital games; Magic Arena lacks a secondary market and therefore a means of accumulating individual cards without buying packs, which means that players are forced to engage in betting-like activities. However, the existence of secondary markets places additional value on the contents of packs and loot boxes, increasing the chances of making a profit or loss."

I'm sure you remember that I commented that There are differences between a physical and a digital environment truth? I highlight one paragraph in particular (pages 18-19):

"On the other hand, digital card packs are reminiscent of loot boxes in that they employ psychologically stimulating audio-visual effects to accompany openings, as well as techniques used in established gambling activities, such as slot machines. Seasonal passes in contemporary digital games [...] can also reinforce potentially problematic patterns of behavior. Our findings also reinforce the suggestion that digital environments play a key role in generating potentially problematic behaviors by utilizing mechanisms that prey on maladaptive cognitions."

Can these parallels between loot boxes and card packs be problematic? Let's take a look.

Clouds on the horizon? Legal restrictions on the marketing of card envelopes?

Immutable is an Australian company, but from the moment it distributes Gods Unchained in Europe it is subject to the European legislation . Even more so when it has a mobile version with distribution through the corresponding official markets (Apple's App Store and Google's Play Store). The European Parliament has been analysing for some time how to increase the protection of video game users (thinking, above all, of the youngest. As reflected in the article by Marcin Przybysz for Dentons published just over a year ago with the title "Loot box regulation in the UE – loading status" , regulation is going to come sooner or later and there are already many European countries that are working on this also at national level. Well, regulatory measures are closer than ever.

The Council of Ministers of the Government of Spain has already approved a draft law for the protection of minors in digital environments . It proposes a general prohibition of access to and activation of loot boxes by minors, applying the following criteria to determine what is considered a loot box:

1. Price for activation.
2. Presence of the element of chance.
3. Establishment of rewards that can be exchanged between users or convertible into legal tender.

I leave you right here a couple of Articles About this:

• "The new child protection law prohibits minors from accessing video game loot boxes" in 20 minutes.
• "Spain restricts loot boxes in video games for minors" by Mobbeel.

At this point you may be thinking... "It's not a big deal, I'm of legal age." However, there is an important question: how is this legislation going to be enforced? Very simple: by requiring the introduction of methods of Identity Verification , which is the only way to know if the user is a minor. Exactly the same as it happens in the platforms dedicated to betting and gambling, which have a specific regulation.

In short, video games that offer loot boxes are going to have to choose between introducing measures to verify the identity of their users or stop marketing these boxes. As the joke goes, "Scare or death?" .

What impact would something like this have?

¿ Gods Unchained players would be willing to undergo an identity verification process , just like when opening a bank account? In all honesty, I have no idea. Some sure do, while others would choose to stop playing. As is obvious, this is a process that would have to have all the guarantees, since the European regulation on this is very rigorous (the solution would be to contract this service to a specialized provider that complies with the existing requirements, although the issue of integration with Immutable Passport would be interesting).

Now suppose that the Immutable team believes that requiring an identity verification process could backfire on the growth of Gods Unchained. In such a case, everything indicates that they could be forced to Stop selling card packs . Could a game like Gods Unchained survive this scenario? As it is a collectible card game in digital format, I think so for a compelling reason: the sale of envelopes does not have to be an irreplaceable source of income. After all, there are other sources of income that could be boosted such as premium game modes, card forging, sale of battle passes or cosmetic items, to name a few. The question that arises is, then, on what basis could the new letters be distributed? Could they be sold individually? Could they be distributed according to criteria of interaction with the game, such as a combination of games won, card collection or amount of $GODS staked, to name a handful of possible criteria?

What do you think about all this? Are loot boxes and card packs comparable? Do you think a trading card game can survive without selling card packs? Would Gods Unchained users be willing to undergo eKYC to verify their identity?

Before I say goodbye, I want to take this opportunity to remind you that you can support GU Masters by purchasing your cards through the TokenTrove referral link (which has no cost for you) and invite you to join all the players who already receive the GU Masters newsletter to stay on top of what's new in the Gods Unchained universe: The Herald . Thank you for being there.

Images courtesy of Gods Unchained Pty Ltd.