Overwatch is a poster game when it comes to cracking open some loot boxes, but when it comes to the controversy that’s embroiled the randomized loot and gambling concerns recently, Blizzard said that their game doesn’t belong in the discussion.
In an interview with Game Informer, Blizzard’s president and co-founder Mike Morhaime said that he doesn’t see any issues with the premise of spicing up games with randomized loot, but when it comes to gambling, that’s not what Overwatch is about.
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“I think there’s absolutely nothing wrong with crates that give you randomized items,” Morhaime told Game Informer. “I think that whatever the controversy is, I don’t think Overwatch belongs in that controversy.”
When pressed on the heated debate about loot boxes and asked if there was a limit to how far loot boxes can go – “pay-to-win” is the most obvious offender when it comes to blasting loot boxes – Morhaime said they’ve done their best to steer away from pushing the line too far.
“Well, it’s definitely something we’ve avoided,” Morhaime said about the pay-to-win boxes that are found in other games. “I think another element, in terms of the gambling question, the question in terms of that is whether or not you’re actually… There’s an element of converting back into real-world value. I think that’s a critical element, and that element does not exist in Overwatch loot crates.”
Overwatch has adjusted their own loot box system since the game’s been out after listening to player feedback and discussing the system internally, but the way that the game’s pulled off loot boxes seems much fairer than most other adaptations of the idea. A big to-do is made when you open loot boxes by having them drop down and burst open with more than just one item included in each, so even if you don’t get the cosmetic that you were hoping for, opening a loot box in Overwatch rarely feels like a complete letdown. You’re also compensated for duplicates that you might receive, and through methods like leveling up and participating in certain game modes, Overwatch provides players with ample ways to earn loot boxes outside of emptying your wallet. Until Overwatch’s loot box format plummets towards a nefarious pay-to-win scheme, Morhaime’s statements about leaving the game out of gambling discussions ring true.
