So Are "AAA" Loot Boxes Done? (The Jimquisition)

[@Robbaz]

Feels like there is so few actual AAA titles out/coming this year that can benefit from it. Perhaps publishers needs to start making games again.

[@mikeyod1914]

Send in the vikings

[@ChJees2]

Making videogames? Absurd!

[@UtaNngkrngDpanKompi]

oh hello, fancy seeing you here *winks winks*

[@jiin6]

Robert? you Slacker

[@princesolitude2796]

Oh no! Too impossible of a concept!

[@CalavErik]

I love how, since Jim received feedback on his way of saying "Triple A", he's been exaggerating it more and more with each vid.

[@FutureDeep]

The worse the game industry gets the more he needs to exaggerate.

[@directorraney]

One of these days I expect him to go into a heart attack while saying it.

[@ytnukesme1600]

Erik it's a music to my ears.

[@vetou20]

I can't even say "triple A" with a normal voice anymore

[@ChiaroscuroxX]

The year is 2039.. it is 3 years since the final triple A. 98% of life on Earth died instantly as every human who had ever purchased a loot boxes spontaneously combusted. To those of us who survived, existence is a constant struggle for survival. Our only hope is that gaben will finish his life's work before he runs out of his emergency mountain dews...

[@KingsandGenerals]

Even if the loot boxes are done (for now), they have shifted the Overton Window. What we considered disgusting a decade ago (Horse armor DLC) is ok now.

[@HistoryMatters]

Day one DLC, Season Passes and microtransactions will be seen as much more acceptable. Ultimately because we're moving from a model where you're paying for the opportunity to get what you want to just paying for what you want. They'll try again, though.

[@jakey960]

We won the battle but lost the war

[@cattolord33]

Honestly that's the problem when an industry becomes increasingly profitable. Corporations will just look for more ways to make more money.

[@Hanja45]

Kings and Generals Unfortunately, we’re all just getting manipulated without anyway to strike back

[@TwoBs]

No, down with the corporations that exploit capitalism, taint it, and exploit the consumer's wallet using sleazy and greedy tactics.

[@TheFilthyCringer]

That's why you keep pushing, keep pushing and pushing. they tried to take a mile so why don't we take a mile back. Keep complaining, keep protesting every shitty little practice they have until games are finally what they're meant to be.

[@Syogren]

If the devs have balls, the publishers will just threaten not to publish the game if they don't engage in these shady practices. If you dev for these publishers, you need to do it. Some of these studios are starting to break away from publishers and finding ways to sustain themselves. This is good, and we need to make it easier for them to do it. But see the thing is, the publishers WILL stop the bullshit if gamers protest enough. Because even if the sales are still good, it will still make headlines just like Star Wars Battlefront 2. That game sold well, and even got tons of money from lootboxes. But it hurt EA's reputation, scared Disney, and led to politicians considering the possibility of regulating the industry. EA had no choice but to backtrack for its own survival. So if we keep this up, then yes, publishers will stop the bullshit. Just keep protesting, and keep calling them out. Don't be satisfied with them just removing lootboxes.

[@futhamucka]

Couldn't agree with you more Laurence Barnes. GET FUCKING MAD. Don't listen to those fucking idiots with their bullshit outrage apathy. Customers have demonstrated that they have the power to have an impact on the industry, so let's keep bitching .

[@TheRogueWolf]

EA did the worst possible thing for the "triple-ayyy" industry: It tore the mask off and exposed the masquerade. Not WILLINGLY, of course- the company was trapped between angry customers and expectant investors, and therefore tried to have its cake and eat it too, by removing the microtransactions yet claiming that doing so "wouldn't impact their bottom line". But all this did was put lie to the claim that microtransactions were a "necessary evil" to "offset the cost of game production", the biggest fishhook swallowed whole by those most willing of sycophants, fanboys. Yes, we do have to keep a watchful eye on the industry, because we know they'll try again. But thanks to EA's blunder, they've lost the biggest arrow in their PR quiver. Thanks, EA!

[@Derethl2]

The Rogue Wolf Underrated

[@EvanSchatz]

But you could also argue that telling their investors that it wouldn't affect their profitability was a lie to keep shareholders from panicking and backing out - there's no way they could go from having extra spending opportunities to not having those opportunites, and still have the same profit ceiling

[@fieldy409]

Problem is you think logic and reason will change the minds of fanboys. All the internet is these days is a bunch of people digging their heels in and screaming that they are right despite whatever the truth is.

[@redshadowtheultimate]

They did good fucking up lol

[@TheRogueWolf]

Miles Highson You're not wrong, but given a choice of which group to lie to, I think lying to investors and shareholders carries a lot more in terms of potential harm to EA than lying to customers.

[@SirSicCrusader]

"I for one welcome our LootBox over lords and willingly submi... what? Dead?! *AHEM* I mean yeah, fuck lootboxes, I was always on the consumers side... I'm not a shill honest..." -Every pro lootbox skeleton warrior

[@CosmicAeon]

If only every game had two versions. One for those idiots where they're all in an arms race paying $200 for their loot boxes to compete and one for the rest of us where we just play the game. Unfortunately they get to share in the victory.

[@ShelledHandle]

Sir Sic The Social Inequality Crusader Man ive had people insult me for implying that CoD and Battlefront would have been successful without Lootboxes. It was a crazy time.

[@crazyinsane500]

That makes me think we're not going to get a conclusion to the Extra Credits' three-part love dedication to lootboxes.

[@expressrobkill]

now all we need to do is convince pubg there cunts for having a free to play game system yet still charging full price for the game, if you don’t think it is free to play then just look at it on mobile, i hate that counter strike esk loot system, its so toxic, and on a full priced game, with only one game mode its pretty shitty. how did they get away with selling one game mode at full price with one map and have loot boxes.

[@Keldiur]

The industry doesn't want a piece of the pie, it wants the pie factory. If they do not own all the monies in a genre the game is a failure. Even if it was true that lootboxes and frivolous cosmetics were needed in 60 dollar games to keep the lights on... perhaps you instead fire 100 of the modelers rendering the left butcheek of the main character. Make smaller smarter games. They work. Or here is an idea. Charge what you want for the title. I would have paid 100 dollars for games like Mass Effect or Dragon Age Origins . If your game is great I will pay more but I would be more critical to boot.

[@blekksverd]

2018: Our new game will just have microtransactions, not loot boxes! 2022: Our new game will just have loot boxes, not loot bid wars! 2025: Our new game will just have loot bid wars, not money vacuums! 2026: Our new game will actually be a game! Please start buying our games again!

[@graywolfalphaone]

blekksverd sad but spot on I fear.

[@murrfeeling]

2030: Our new game will only give Hepatitis-A, which will clear up in about 2 months, not more dangerous Hepatitis-B or the long lasting Hepatitis-C!

[@cielphantomhive4622]

murrfeeling But but hepatitis-D is good for you :(

[@chinesemaoist5530]

Oh no, if one of them reads this they'll get the idea to do Loot Bid Wars now.

[@kyotheman69]

ill retire from gaming by 2022

[@Next0gen0]

Stop Lowering Your Standards, Don't let Industry Lies pile up, and don't accept that Nothing can be Changed. And the most important thing. NEVER, FORGET! And Thank God For Jim!

[@irllcd13]

They can go away, but it won't happen on it's own. The industry, like most, is incapable of self-regulating. To kill the beast of microtransactions, the feds have to get involved.

[@Next0gen0]

That level of defeatism is what lead's to Every Failure. No nation run's on it's own. We the people run it, and we can run Every industry to the Ground if we want too. No King Is Immortal!

[@brokengames9020]

whole point of "next-gen" is to make sub-standardized video games.... next-generation is more stupider than previous thats what next-gen means. at least they play on this card. how long will this last... is up to you people.

[@Next0gen0]

And it's cute that you think history is set in stone. You think tomorrow everything is the same, but it's not. Every day a new radical thing is changing. And new idea, a new life born, a new person running something. Surrender is what people who are at the top want you to believe in, so they never have to worry about Rebellion. Net Neutrality Was going to be ended, we Knew that couldn't be stopped before the campaign even began. It was a matter of Awareness, and the fight is Still going on to this day. War's aren't one in a day. They're long, grueling campagin's that take year's of hard work and dedication. Real life isn't about letting one victory decided everything. It's about learning from defeat. All great victory's are won with Time. And corporation's are running out of it.

[@plainlake]

Who hurt you Agent 005?

[@breadpilled2587]

Don't let people forget: letting overwatch get away with lootboxes is the reason we have this problem. They shouldn't be excused.

[@Nyzer_]

Charlie Overwatch's lootboxes toed the line, but all of its greedy successors are the ones who blazed past that very line at 300 km/h. If they'd stuck to the Overwatch model, none of this would be happening. That's coming from someone who's pretty neutral about Overwatch. Never even played it. Cosmetic stuff shouldn't ONLY come from random chance though. Should be purchasable separately even if they'd be a bit relatively high priced. No gambling shit.

[@ndaemon1718]

yeah.. but Blizzard have something none of the other offenders have, loyal fanbase. Blizzard has kept a fairly good connection to the customers over a huge amount of years.. creating alot of goodwill. hence the defence.

[@ckbooks]

The insidious part of Overwatch's loot box system to me isn't the way it works by default -- if a game *has* to have lootboxes then Overwatch's version is one of the least scummy ways to do it. The time-limited events the vast majority of new cosmetics come from, though? Those are scummy as all heck. They release these cosmetics at triple the regular price during a two week window in which the only practical way to get something you want is to gamble for it. The acquisition window is purposefully narrow so that grinding lootboxes without spending money is completely unrealistic, and if players don't get the thing they want they're faced with the choice of either waiting an entire year for it to be available again, or gambling away real money. It's such a cynical form of psychological manipulation made all the grosser by the fact that these events are marketed as exciting celebrations with maximum hype behind them.

[@davidgantenbein9362]

Claudia King Good point, but even the basic loot box system was frustrating. I hated it and it did cost a lot of fun, it should never have been there in the first place.

[@Atlas_Redux]

Overwatch has loot boxes? I'll never understand people who cares about cosmetics.

[@nickclark1815]

I almost have to thank EA for being so damn greedy to the point that now everybody hates loot boxes, not many defend them anymore, thank God, also thank God for Jim.

[@theguywhowentthere3346]

Now we need a company to go too far with microtransactions (as if they haven't already) so we can all drop that practice into oblivion.

[@MrTiggleZ]

EA is secretly the hero we all needed

[@NJHS92]

dungeon keeper mobile did go way to far but it was a free 2 play game so nobody cared, if it had happened on a full priced game you can bet your ass microtransactions would be dead today outside of the greed of the unholy trio(ubi, act bliz, ea)

[@fenderlove]

"Game publishers are beasts rutting in a field!"

[@ytnukesme1600]

fenderlove and they need to be treated in a " bloodborne " fasion.

[@Red_Lanterns_Rage]

Nawww, game publishers are an endangered species......wait, do not call the humane society or the wildlife preservation society, this species serves no real benefit to the community, they're like a virus, a plague a famine that was tolerated as a necessary evil for long enough, now that they show their true colors and attempt to trample on the fun and ruin their own IP's just to sell worse games seals their fate, let's hunt the publishers into extinction [meaning pirate every game we can just to do it, only buy used unless it's CDPR and actual honorable companies]

[@Nuvizzle]

This is offensive to beasts rutting in a field

[@nordicfatcheese]

PUBLISHERS IN AN OPEN FIELD NED!

[@HEYBUDDYMAN86]

You know, I have one question to the defenders. If they aren’t gambling... then why are developers running from the government so hard?

[@lancedenis4172]

Xell *Paying off the government

[@HEYBUDDYMAN86]

Lance Denis in this argument they are practically the same. Both are the companies acknowledging through actions there’s some wrong, legal or moral.

[@Pawg_Alf]

This isn't a good argument. I know a bunch of people who are "running from the government" not because they've done anything wrong but because they believe that despite not doing anything wrong the government doesn't have their best interests at heart. Just last week the government (through the police) shot a guy in his back yard because he had a phone.

[@MMetelli]

Usually, whenever gambling is being done as "illegal"; all that means is that some politician isn't getting a cut of that pie. Once regulated, some profits go off to those politicians to allow the gambling to stay legalized. Something along those lines, I'm not one for one on how all that works, but that is the gist of it.

[@HEYBUDDYMAN86]

Jeb Galicia I mean, obviously they don’t think the government has the best interests for them. They can’t use gambling-style mechanics to get money.

[@zeromailss]

No matter what a microtransaction on a full priced game is never alright in my book

[@Nyzer_]

にゃあエイリアンMeowAlien Some games get it right, where the microtransactions are actually extra content that wouldn't have been in otherwise. But mostly... yeah, no.

[@BloodpactORG]

Yep, don't even buy those fucking things on sale. Hell, don't even fucking pirate the things, they deserve to be ignored.

[@noahgray543]

I love your avatar- it's so silly looking!

[@legoworksstudios1]

No more loot boxes! No more micropayments! No more paying for games after we bought them! That needs to be a protest.

[@Blackreaper777]

You are welcome to protest. I'm sure publishers are shaking in their boots right about now.

[@A9OOlbGorrila]

so you pay £40 for a online game and expect all content for the next 5 years to be free? artists need to be paid, servers need to be maintained. Microtransactions are fine as long as they arnt P2W, but loot boxes can GTFO

[@sir3543]

I like expansion packs.

[@YokiDokiPanic]

A9OOlbGorrila *"artists need to be paid"* Oh, you mean those ununionized, art-slaves the company sees as expendable and replaceable when they ask for fair compensation? *"servers need to be maintained."* If only Xbox live, psn+ and subscription plans for pc existed. But sadly, that'll never happen.

[@Dietrich_Kaufmann]

but where or when am i forced to purchase these boxes for loots? not ever. protesting only advertises what you are against, be a vreal woman and shoot up EA HQ like KZbin HQ

[@Mr.Spongecake]

So sad to see Capcom will be going out of business because they didn't put lootboxes in Monster Hunter World. ..... Oh wait....

[@kudosbudo]

Nope but they are charging for the privalges of changing your characters face/sex. They got flack and released a one time code to change but after that its new character or pay.

[@Mr.Spongecake]

Are they? I've looked around for it and I'm not finding it.

[@realmarsastro]

kudosbudo, that's completely wrong. At first you couldn't change face/sex at all. Then they announced that they would add the option in, and give everyone a free change, and then have all subsequent changes be charged for. It's literally impossible for them to have gotten flack for charging for appearance change and responding to that flack with a one time free code, because the appearance change and one time free code was announced AT THE SAME TIME.

[@queencyrys6309]

Mars I’d argue it should be free, but it’s not something i’m going to worry about.

[@HenkkaArtGames]

I don't understand the defense of "It's only cosmetics", especially when the cosmetics are part of a third-person shooter/adventure/mmo where the character is always visible and where character customization is a key element (the game starting with a customization screen where you can preview various costumes you might get later on in the game - Black Desert Online being one of the worst offenders in this). When you make a game that has a strong social component, be it a hub world a la Destiny etc or a fully fledged MMO where dozens upon dozens of players interact with each other, I'd say that cosmetics are not "just cosmetics", they are integral part of the game, the experience. Otherwise, there wouldn't be such professions in the games where you can actually make/dye/modify costumes and other gadgets your character has.

[@DestroWOD]

Exactly think the same ! I hate when i hear the argument that its "ok" cause its "just cosmetic"

[@Irond3vil2]

HenkkaArt I was so disappointed when I saw that the best looking skins in Wildlands had to be bought...

[@argentpuck]

Jim has commented on this fairly often. Watch some of his videos about Warframe and how a big part of the gameplay for him and many other players is exactly trying to customize their character to how they want. When World of Warcraft added the ability to collect item appearances without wasting inventory space, I put in a lot of hours doing old content just so I could play pretty princess dress-up with my characters. And developers and publishers know full well how important that is.

[@bmobmo6438]

When it's a free to play game, I can understand cosmetic microtransactions. The company has to make money somehow, after all. But when you start charging $60 for the game, I want to pay the $60 and not have to pay another cent for anything in the game. DLC, yeah, within reason, that's fine. But microtransactions, paid lootboxes? No, never.

[@COYOTE743]

HenkkaArt for overwatch they add maps and heroes constantly as well as new game modes/events and they're all free and available for everyone the day they're released, unlike alot of multiplayer games who sell maps or characters, or make them accessible only for season pass users (rainbow six siege for example). so for multiplayer standards overwatch is one of the best out there being fair experience for every owner of the game, sure it's not a holy gift from the sky sent from god himself into earth nor it's the purest gaming experience but still is one of the best (((by today's standards)))

[@robdupre]

Shadow of War removing loot boxes is such a double edged sword. On one hand, I now want to play the game which I avoided because I hate the concept of progression linked to randomisation. On the other, as Jim said, I feel like the removing of these loot boxes this late in the game is just a stunt to try and publicise and probably attract players such as me.

[@PurpleAlzir]

Pirating seems much better without the lootboxes since pretty sure Jim is right on this being a publicity stunt to try and get people who wouldn't buy it with the lootboxes. Although if enough people buy it with lootboxes removed that could send a message to stop it.

[@TVlord5]

Rob Dupré On the other hand you're not buying because this was a show of good faith. You're buying because now it's the game you want.

[@bl4ckhunter351]

PurpleAzir If you're advanced enough to pirate a game you're advanced enough to use a cheat engine table/trainer to give yourself infinite lootboxes or whatnot so it doesn't particularly matter on PC, really it baffles me that people would even consider spending money on MTX on a single player game on PC, cheating for cheating might as well cheat all the way.

[@skimaskroach5678]

Yeah idiots like you.

[@cynthricsgamingchannel9177]

Buy the game used. Then they get no money.

[@Mrcryptidsarereal]

I have a bad feeling Jim is gonna be right about Activision using the Blizzard fanbase as a shield.

[@accelerator8558]

blizzard is no more man, they gona use them as a shield for sure

[@ColtaineCrows]

So Activison-Blizzard is going to use itself as a shield. They're morons of the highest order.

[@accelerator8558]

thats how it is, there is still alot of people who think blizzard is still blizzard haha

[@evillecaston]

They already do. Honestly, Activision BUHLIZZERD is just as insidious as EA and WB, probably even worse since they keep doing the same stuff. This is the company that practically owns the idea of gaming addiction, after all.

[@accelerator8558]

man dont even mention diablo 3, i was fan before a that shit, they ruin it for me fucking BASTARDS....BASTARDSSSSS!!!

[@kosmosfan01]

People who defended these practices by saying that they didn't affect gameplay are stupid since the companies basically admit that they have to rebalance stuff to accommodate the removal. They also fall for the crap that the companies are doing this out of the goodness of their heart. How much of that Kool-Aid do I need to drink to be a tool?

[@kudosbudo]

Titanfall 2 didn't add loot boxes, it added a store and flew under the radar, was even praised for it. But all that time they spent on the store was time away from adding maps (NEW maps, we got 1 New full size), new wepaons (1 new weapon) and a new mode(Live fire which was done on tiny maps and not many people liked). Everything a dev does effects everything else they do. if they say they are doign stuff for free its bullshit cos its not free, stores, loot boxes whatever. The free stuff ends up being crappy as a result. And nobody seemed bothered about that in Titanfall 2.

[@kosmosfan01]

kudosbudo So true. I was so focused on ingame that I didn't even think about that. I remembered being so upset at the lack of single player DLC for the Tomb Raider reboot. Instead, resources were wasted on stuff for the MP that no longer even works anyway. Just pointless at the end when they could have made more money doing good DLC. Nope, that time is spent on how they can possibly milk the player out of something in the dumbest way possible. They out more effort into that than making a decent game in general. Companies will just throw a game out there with the same basic template as the previous one and they'll add MTX/Lootboxes to make up for those lost sales so anyone saying that making games is so expensive, then why do you see games reusing stuff like in COD and AC. Then there are the other companies that give you loads of content for the game without asking for a ridiculous amount of money. I was impressed way back when Atlus released all the DLC for Dragon's Crown 100% free. It included a new dungeon, level cap increase, and a new difficulty. It sucks when you're impressed by stuff like that because it should be standard. People joke but next thing that they'll charge for is save slots like Metal Gear Survive. We can't give them any leeway. MTXs got such a pass that now they are found in loads of games. Now Lootboxes are issues but what do EA and WB do? Go back to MTXs because that was the lesser of the two evils. That's dumb. These companies want to make money and out as little effort in making the game to get as much profit as possible.

[@RyuzakiReaper]

CareeseFangirlForever Depends. However much Jim Jones served at his compound plus you will need to bend over and drop the pants.

[@joshie3]

Remember when you had to put effort in unlocking content instead of gambling in order to get content? Yeah those were good times.

[@jonblankenship8363]

pepper ridge farms remembers

[@TheNN]

That's a really good point, Jim, about how WB admitted that loot boxes hurt Shadow of War, etc etc. It sets a precedence now. Just like how a court case can do the same for law, so too can we use that bit from them anytime any other 'Triple A' company tries to pull the same thing. If another big company said 'loot boxes are bad', then what justification can any other one use now? There's no double standard here, either loot boxes are good or loot boxes are bad, they can't be both. I'm sure when WB realizes (IF they realize) the massive amount of ammunition they just gave people they'll probably try and alter, edit, redact, change, or even remove that statement, but it's too late now, it's on the internet and when something is on the internet, it's here to stay. I could even see this being good for lawmakers wanting to change things, as they can ask some other video game or ESRB rep, "Well WB said that loot boxes were bad, what do you say to that?" and watch them fumble around for an empty, half-hearted answer.

[@bobbatcher6021]

There is a subtle distinction though, WB didn't say that lootboxes are bad, they said that lootboxes are bad for the Nemesis system. So a triple A company can just say, "our game doesn't have a Nemesis system, so loot boxes are fine for us!" However, even without the precedence, they are (currently) a big negative.

[@TheNN]

I don't think it's too far of a logical leap though to still say, "Well this company admitted that loot boxes had a negative impact on a core part of their game" and use that on others.

[@TheAyanamiRei]

Yeah, but EA actually stated that they NEEDED Lootboxes to survive, but now saying that they do NOT need them. So when you combine EA & WB's statement, you really see that all this talk about Lootboxes is just BS.

[@TheNN]

Oh you aren't wrong, but maybe, just maybe, that scam won't be lootboxes finally.

[@mercenarygundam1487]

Knowing the Triple AAAAAAAYYYYYY. I doubt it. They will always try to find another way to squeeze the hard earned cash. Edit: Don't forget TF2's crates. Never forget that.

[@adam7802]

Absolutely, they don't give a shit about making more innovative games apparently but you can guarentee they will get innovative in monetisation methods.

[@ironmilutin]

TF2 and some other F2P games are allowed to "dodge" some of the hate because they're free and they HAVE to make their money somehow... now unless there was some big-ass stunt they did that i don't know off that makes them deserve hate, i guess that's my bad for not being informed

[@OutOfTheShadows1]

Yeah, I'm afraid that they are gonna get worse when they return.

[@Videogamer96_]

TF2 is F2P

[@davidsomoza]

Except tf2 wasnt f2p at first, i bought it retrail and now it has items that change the gameplay and abilities so the "but tf2 its free 2 play" its bullshit.

[@cerberus00]

Its the best gimmick. You get to take Cody's old one repackage it and then when someone tells you to give it back you say he doesn't want. Hilarious. Also they should give him his name back.

[@JimSterling]

Part of me hopes Cody sees it one day. Part of me hopes he never does.

[@cerberus00]

Jim Sterling ha. Dont worry im sure Cody will be "FINE".

[@JimSterling]

Everything is FINE!

[@digitaldeathsquid3448]

Jim Sterling No it's not. Not after what Tecmo Koei DID to Zhang He

[@cerberus00]

Jim Sterling Shoot if your wrestling career goes well enough you could always bring loot boxes out to the ring with you. Its always thumb tacks in em though.

[@mirandag7668]

Sterdust is the Heelo we need right now, but don't deserve.

[@GhengisJohn]

Well said. Also, Miranda best girl.

[@mirandag7668]

Fuck off, Jack is best girl.

[@DieserSemi]

Sorry but.... Female Shepard is hands down *the* best girl. ;)

[@mirandag7668]

Fuck off, Legion is best girl.

[@vonclaren1]

I'm no fan of wrestling, but we need footage of STIRDUST! in action. I want to bask in the pantomime fighting glory

[@SillySandyAJ]

Problem with Blizzard is that players don't see how exploitative it gets during limited time events. the events where players are Forced to buy tons of loot-boxes just for a CHANCE to get a single skin or emote they were grinding for. I've given up on buying anymore loot-boxes. If i were to pay blizzard for any content, I'd rather pay for coins so i'd be guaranteed to get exactly the content i wanted in the first place. But the community seems to be rather silent about demanding such a simple change to be made.

[@TaranTatsuuchi]

Sounds like what they did for china's monetization..... You buy coins, and get bonus loot boxes.

[@stanj85]

Sandy AJ Paying them at all is too much, in my opinion. Don't forget that all those types of items used to be regular unlockables. We won't get back to that point unless we take a zero tolerance stance.

[@hairypancake]

People say "But they keep adding content and they always have new events!". True, but that "new content" is more fluff for lootboxes and those "events" are just excuses to shit out limited-time only boxes that they know people will eat up so they won't miss out. The free characters are usually broken for months on end and not worth using and the maps are very few and far between.

[@pestoriusj]

The new content is mostly voice emotes for Bastion

[@SillySandyAJ]

hairypancake that's my main problem with it. They force limited time boxes during events so that players more desperate to get a certain limited skin/emote would be strong armed into buying boxes near the end of the event to increase their chances. Even worse when that added purchase still won't guarantee the item they want. It would make sense from a PR stand point to allow a player to just buy the needed coins for an item as an added choice rather than having those players end the event disappointed and feeling cheated out of their money

[@pajamapantsjack5874]

Throw them in the ring with sterdust and they sure will be

[@Celeste-hu5vg]

I'd like to see a video about status quo warriors. They are puzzling creatures.

[@EarthwormShandy]

Great band though, shame Rick's passed on.

[@ShadowofaMermaid]

I second that request. (and the statement)

[@KurosakiYukigo]

Nah, they're just *SKELETON WARRIORS!*

[@Pelsmusic]

Probably not, since uh, "they need to to cover the costs of making videogaames" but i hope so!

[@BlackLegion12621]

"Status Quo Warrior" imma use this.

[@JallenMeodia]

I'm curious what "new" developers do you think Jim should be talking about? Generally speaking those new to the industry don't pull all this rubbish because they're more susceptible to fan backlash. And he has also gone after relative new-comer Compulsion Games for their bad business practices despite being in their game We Happy Few.

[@JallenMeodia]

Oh, I see you weren't saying that he was being biased by not bad-mouthing new developers you were saying he wasn't focusing on the positive new developers. Like he's attempting by finding good games hidden on Steam, which admittedly is more about the games than the devs. Also I looked up Rogue Raven, you can hardly blame him for not talking about a team of people that (as far as I know) haven't made a game yet, haven't got a big online presence and whose website says "Our indie-sized game development studio will be composed of a few handfuls of talented people" keyword is "will". Maybe they're fantastic people but not much to say about them until they release a product.

[@1111-e4p]

God Damn SQWs hate 'em.

[@BlackLegion12621]

Carl Weathers Translation: "I can't disprove your point, so I'm going to insult you personally and make vague threats that sound like something you'd here from an 11 year old atheist."

[@n.h.alicia3278]

Carl Weathers So are RR actually developers yet? You do realise that Jim runs a show based almost entirely on exposing nonsense, right? Good news is rare, here.

[@ItsRetroPlanet]

As an OverWatch player myself, I can tell you right now that I among the many others do not agree with the loot box system in OverWatch. I have been saying since its creation that loot boxes have no reason to exist. Not only am I paying money for the game itself, but you're telling me that I can't even just buy the costume I want for my character? I got to leave it up to chance? Fuck that. Ever since then, I've stopped playing the game. What a waste of $40.

[@briancosta6268]

Gorgo the Orc I had my fun with it and stopped playing after I played my share of it. Never felt forced to pay money for skins though, guess I'm in the minority. I just accumulated gold until I could buy what I wanted if I didn't get it. But some of those skins costed waaay too much so that was a bit underhanded of blizzard...also I noticed some of my friends dishing out way too much money on the game which I felt bad about.

[@ItsRetroPlanet]

Brian Costa I felt like I had to because none of the chances that I ever got with loot boxes we're giving me even remotely anything I wanted. It was always giving me items for characters I don't even play, and even then, I wasn't getting enough gold to even save up for anything I wanted. Took me months just to get one of the legendaries for roadhog, and up until they fixed the loot box chances, I gave up on it. It's a little better, but seriously why the fuck do I need to open any boxes? Seriously, just let me buy the damn item itself either by using real money, or let me accumulate gold every level up. It makes way more sense than to keep leveling up and then hoping that you get what you want.

[@AS-gb5wz]

They're gonna find some monetization more egregious than loot box, and when that inevitably get pushed back, they'll offer the loot box as the reasonable alternative, and unfortunately most people will accept it. That's how we've even fall this far.

[@LosgehtsFCB]

This is the sad truth

[@LosgehtsFCB]

Eric Black It's people like you who created the loot box issue

[@kennymartin5976]

Eric Black Because as the customers, we have every right to give feedback on the products were sold and how. Because we are the ones who decide what we want to to buy, if a product does not meet our needs or standards then we have every right to express our opinion as to why. Now if the company producing the product listens, that's great, we made a difference, if not, we'll move on to other competition. Its simple as that.

[@rageoftyrael]

Eric Black - I feel like you're using some kind of "capitalism" argument here, while simultaneously not understanding how capitalism works. I'm the consumer, if anyone gets to choose how something is sold to me, it's me. See, this push back against loot boxes is amazing, because I never really expected gamers to ever actually stand up and say "We don't want this!" with enough people that the publishers would have to take notice. The push back against Star Wars Battlefront 2 was entirely capitalism. We, the customers, didn't like what they were selling us, how they were selling it to us, and we told them to shove it. It resulted in them making far fewer sales than they anticipated and them having to back pedal to save face. Either way, one thing that people who are very "the company can do what it wants" seem to ignore is that if the company has the right to sell what they want, how they want, we the consumers, have the right to tell them to fuck off. We don't have to sit back quietly and accept the bullshit. If we think something they are doing is ruining the thing we're paying for, or even if it isn't necessarily "ruining" anything, but we just don't like it, we have the right to tell them to fuck off. See, when you have companies who are beholden to the almighty dollar, that means that to some extent, no matter how they seem to behave, they are still beholden to us, the ones whose dollars they are trying to get. We get to pick how things are sold to us, because we're the goddamn consumer. If they won't sell it to us in a way that we want, we'll find someone who will. I, for one, would happily watch every single "triple A" company burn, and turn to smaller companies who are still providing good games, without the bullshit we've come to expect from "triple A" companies. Eventually, these smaller companies will become the new "triple A" companies, and they'l hopefully have learned from the past and won't commit the same mistakes that fucked over the original "triple A" companies.

[@eloquentlyemma]

I can’t wait until a group of wrestlers invade the Jimquisition studio looking for Sterdust and Jim has to hide behind a stack of abandoned loot boxes, a mountain of Boglins and some hastily crafted metaphors

[@jpxyUA]

youuuu... steam boiled paraplegics!

[@soulkibble1466]

Just seeing how the AAA games industry is going, I won't be surprised when just having a publisher say "We aren't AAA" will become a popular selling point.

[@irllcd13]

The sad thing is, people will fall for it. Gamers are some of the stupidest and most gullible fuckers in the world. "Mr. Ubisoft CEO said Ubisoft isn't a AAA company and artistic integrity is their #1 priority, and I believe them!" That's what gamers will say.

[@devilmikey00]

Isn't that already the case? I mean it hasn't got to the point where actual AAA publishers are trying to say that but people generally already give Indie titles WAY more leeway to do scummy shit then the AAA ones. Thankfully Scummy shit in Indies is far less common but you still get your PubG's every now and then.

[@XephreWolf]

They might do what a lot of other industries do: Create smaller subsidiary "indie" companies and keep its affiliation with the parent company as silent as legally permissable.

[@magiguy102]

I really wish Sterdust had come out of the golden loot box flipping the bird

[@midge_gender_solek3314]

*They introduce some other crazy-ass way of making money* "But, hey, at least those aren't lootboxes!!!"

[@LuxasVTUBER]

*He‘s not the Hero we deserve*

[@nickjones9867]

Or want

[@bishop6881]

resorted to kidnapping? you should have enough patron money for bribery mate

[@JimSterling]

How do you think Sterdust paid the kidnappers?

[@bishop6881]

hope you youtube RED money helped, im ok with aiding/ and conspiring charges

[@darkron288]

So just to summerize, every company EXECPT blizzard ,the ones who started and made the loot boxes popular are removing lootboxes. Blizzard i understand you hate your players more then konami does but come on

[@TheCrusaderBin]

There was never any backlash towards them. Either they did it tastefully enough, or... I don't know. But people generally love Blizzard (and try to forget that they're part of Activision).

[@340Hz]

Don't forget about Valve.

[@Watsabeholder]

Tf2 been doing this for years, and charging you to open the box. Still there. Overwatch only offers cosmetics, which as much as Jim still hates it, the general player doesn't seem too.

[@TheJamieellis]

It's because they're just cosmetic and a lot of other companies did it a lot worse with blatant pay2win boxes.

[@SirusDiarota]

Erm, it didn't "start" with Overwatch. Sports games had packs and loot boxes were more of a free to play model. As stated in the video, Overwatch was the first real AAA title to popularise them, but you can also add Hearthstone into that mix as well. (lol both Blizzard ETC.). Good non-Blizz example would be the recent outcry over NBA2k18's system. "VC" in that game has been a thing for many releases, but only the recent game had a reaction as the prices for in game items and services skyrocketed upwards and the rate it's earned plummeted. The actual real world value remained the same, however. There's also the problem that, while generally hated, this is still a subjective matter. What pisses you off may differ from what other people find annoying, and that line does get blurry in some places. That, and I don't see a company who sees people regularly buying 50 boxes for trash level KZbin content is doing to turn down free money on the table. For the record. I am not defending loot boxes. I will dance naked upon it's rotten corpse before throwing it into the fire for cleansing. And I really need to dial down on playing Saltspyre....*cough*. Anyway, you get the idea. Overwatch is just far enough for my personal "line" as it DOES offer a means to get the items you want, just with a really slow grind. If they sped up the rate gold is earned, or had more of a selection of items which don't require unlocking, then no issue.

[@zedek_]

Jim, you look so happy with your wrestling thing. Good for you. I'm genuinely happy for you. It makes me feel fucking great to see somebody find and reach something they love. No sarcasm, I know this is the internet and you're wondering if I'm being an ass or something, but sincerely, I think it's great!

[@RoverStorm]

Just when I thought you couldn't improve your pronunciation of "Treeeple Aaaiiieeeee" You go "Treeeple Aaaiiieeee - *vomiting noises*" Flawless.

[@KingLich451]

RoverStorm triple AYYYY :D

[@Gender_Ascender]

Timestamp? I think I missed it somewhere.

[@RoverStorm]

1:42 It's more of a "ughlchp", but it counts in my book as vomit noises.

[@blondbraid7986]

Whenever I hear Jim's "Treeeple Aaaiiieeeee" I become just a tiny bit worried the screen will crack. Just think about it, opera singers have broken glass by pitching their voices high enough.

[@angeloffish]

I love how you say AAA. Every time I hear someone say it, I hear it the way you say it. Anyone else the same?

[@dabigman440]

Always wonder why you leave out Valve from these discussions, TF2 and CS:GO have had lootboxes in them for years. It could be argued that Valve was the inspriation for ActiBlizz's Overwatch model

[@midge_gender_solek3314]

He made a video about that, when they introduced the 7-day trading delay for CS:GO.

[@MetalJoshi156]

It's because it was Overwatch's impact in the game industry that *really* caused the loot box craze to explode. Valve may have started it, but Activision Blizzard were the ones who popularised it.

[@SherrifOfNottingham]

Meh, Jim just needs to admit _how_ Blizzard popularized it. He's too focused on demonizing the practice to understand the truth to the system.

[@TheKalimanMX]

TF2,DOTA and CS:GO actually let you cash out your cosmetics,some people have even made massive profits just by trading skins. Every single dollar spent on overwatch,league of legends and heroes of the storm is LOST FOREVER,you are a sucker who is never gonna see that dollar again. How people have the balls to even say that not being able to cash out is morally superior to regular gambling,at least at the casino there is that small CHANCE to hitting the jackpot and retire a millionare,these AAA games are like playing slot machines that have a 0% payoff odds.

[@SherrifOfNottingham]

At least Overwatch gives you tokens to play the slots at a pretty good pace for just being at the casino and the odds are public, not 0%. Considering they even let you bring your own food and booze from home it's really hard to make it a good comparison to a casino. If Valve gave away a key and box every 3-5 games you'd have an argument, but they don't.

[@FaeQueenCory]

Did Jim just give birth to the term SQW? (I could just easily be out of the loop on it if it’s already a thing.) EDIT: Just to be clear, that’s “status quo warrior”.

[@TheAmishStig]

I don't know if he's where it started, but he's used it on occasion for a couple years-ish now.

[@SirusDiarota]

Negative. Urban Dictionary has a post on it from 2016, but the general idea of someone "just wanting things to remain as they are" is pretty old.

[@ShadowofaMermaid]

As much as I'd love to credit our deity Jim Sterling, SQW has been a rather tongue-in cheek answer to people crying "ASS JAY DUBBLEYOOO!!!" about everything (and I mean everything, to the point where 'SJW' doesn't mean anything of substance anymore.) for a couple years now.

[@JimSterling]

I’d never heard it before I started saying it a few years but I’m sure I wasn’t the first.

[@MagnusvonYoshi]

Also called "drones", "sheep", and "shills".

[@manabluerose]

I honestly hate anyone who says ' there's no point in trying. give up' when it comes to the scummy practices or AAA gaming industry. Loot boxes and microtransaction were not a thing 10+ years ago. I remember getting games for it's base price and playing them for hours or weeks to get all the extra costumes and other items. It was so much fun, but now people EXPECT loot boxes or paying for alt weapons/outfits. We only let them win when we remain silent. I'm really proud of you for always fighting the fight with us, Jim-- erm, Sterdust.

[@chrisb6633]

I'm still shocked at how little was said about the lootboxes on normandy beach in COD. One of the greatest sacrifices of a generation reduced to a gambling mechanic to rake in money for shareholders...

[@Sibera02]

As soon as that loot box of Jim's showed up I sat there going "Middle Finger, Middle Finger!' And then a middle finger was given! I got what I want!

[@arnobreedt5048]

Well worth the $2.99 Price.

[@thelegendaryklobb2879]

Pride and accomplisment, innit?

[@ricojes]

praise the rngesus

[@samj4820]

This victory over loot boxes was written...... IN THE STEEEEERRRRRRRRRSSSSSS

[@samj4820]

Not really, that’s two games out of many, and with legislation coming, they might end up removing them

[@samj4820]

In what countries? It seems to be working out

[@skinhead-ej8ff]

WHO WANTS TO WALK WITH STERDUST?

[@JimSterling]

Hard Candy Aw. I love Elias. :(

[@FutureDeep]

Ster walk with me.

[@RAFMnBgaming]

It'll be a make a wish before long.

[@richardharrison4762]

Hell YES! STER DUST!

[@MasouShizuka]

By thy goddess, if he is willing to.

[@vanders4198]

I like Jim's crazy creative side.

[@RelentlessOhiox]

I'll tell you what. I'm 32 and I'm glad I got to enjoy my glory years where gaming was full of great stories and releases. At least if it never goes back to how it was, I have those memories.

[@evillecaston]

As tiring as it was to always hear about lootboxes, I'm really glad we seem to have moved past them for the most part. And once again, good on you Jim for calling out Acitivision BUHLIZZERD on their stubbornness. It just goes to show how creatively and morally bankrupt they've become over the years, yet somehow they have legions of addicts, er, defenders to fall back on.

[@irllcd13]

Fanboys. Fanboys everywhere. If you can get enough fanboys, you literally can't fuck them so hard they stop defending you.

[@UnrealPerson]

Carl Weathers What are costs of entry?

[@mdefalla]

I was at PAX East yesterday and stayed away from the major studios. They had the most floor space and the longest lines. Instead of waiting around to play games I stuck to the margins. All the indie game developers were literally pushed to the sides of the convention while the major studios had the vast space in the middle. There was little to no wait to play the indie games and they offered complete games on the cheap. With the rise of indie game developers we don't need these major studios. We can enjoy games that are just as good if not better that cost what they cost and that's it. It's also worth noting that the games I played do not allow you to purchase your way to victory, they did not give you a leg up in exchange for money. Tha being said, Facebook had a huge gaming booth at PAX. After loot boxes the next scam will be mining your personal information. Mark my words, that will happen if it's not happening already.

[@Tigran2142]

EA already does that with their Origin-shit

[@MaskedGEEK]

Ooo look, EA and Konami have already disliked this video.

[@stanknight9159]

Plot twist: EA and Konami are one in the same. That is why everything they both do lately is wong :D! (It is such a bad joke but here it fits)

[@MaskedGEEK]

I've seen the medical records of EA and Konami. They were once conjoined twins but had the operation to be separated. The emphasis on con in CONjoined. In their younger days they were good, honest and heartfelt publishers that would actually listen to their customer base. Then as they got older greed took over. One whispered into the other's ear saying "hey I got this idea on how we can make more money but keep it secret ok?" The other said "ok" with their fingers crossed behind their back and did it anyway. That's why there are one in the same.

[@zackschilling4376]

Ya, but that "Real Sugar" is beet sugar and it sucks. I couldnt figure out why the American "real sugar" Pepsi products sucked and the Mexican cane sugar in the glass bottle Pepsi was so much better. I learned that from watching Famicom Dojo...and now you know too.

[@StandardGoose]

HFCS, beat sugar and cane sugar are all just disacharrides of fructose and glucose. Your pancreas can't tell the difference. It's all just corporations bickering with each other over who gets to make the most money and expecting you to pick a side.

[@zackschilling4376]

@@StandardGoose I can taste the difference though.

[@StandardGoose]

I've got no doubt you can taste the difference between the two different versions of coke. But the identical sugars they both use are not the reason.

[@zackschilling4376]

@@StandardGoose Pepsi, no Coke

[@Ayameex]

As glad as I am that loot boxes are now viewed so negatively, I get more and more discouraged when I hear something is 'cosmetic only', since that seems like it's going to be the default going forward and cosmetics are usually the part of the game I enjoy the most (assuming the game is worth a shit to begin with). I always hated in Mass Effect 3 how I couldn't just pick what I wanted in MP, I had to keep grinding for it and in all but one case I never got what character I wanted before I got bored and put it down for good. Also, I don't understand wresting -at all- but it's great to see how much fun Jim is having with it.

[@BatteredWalrus]

having re-read my intial post i found that i was rather rash and so i shall post a more refined version here, if people want to see that older one i shall post it in the comment thread below later - also here's a video to help explain some of the issues: kzbin.info/www/bejne/r6valHusds-kr5om3s Dear Jim Sterling i've followed your your content for years now and i just wanted to pass on this bit of news in regards to a free to play game i frequently play: War Thunder, no doubt this name rings a bell if you remember the price fixing of a vehicle pack on steam before a summer sale a few years back. Gaijin Entertainment own and run War Thunder; a light tank/aircraft simulator game that allows you to drive and/or fly vehicles of ww2 (and modern vehicles in recent updates). Gaijin has a scheme, where it essentially allows users to create things for the game like skins for vehicles or whole new vehicles via their revenue share programme, which basically means users can submit models into the game like Gaijin would with a contracteed third party model maker, this also applies to historical skins for vehicles. On the 27th of March they introduced a lootbox system via Gaijin maketplace that features user made skins for vehicles (and 'rare vehicles'), some being fictional, some being historical, with the items within being able to be traded just like those in CSGO (keep this in mind for later) using a currency Gaijin made called Gaijin Coin (which is roughly $1= 1Gjn coin). War Thunder has always featured user skins you could download for free from other users to use in your game via the War thunder Live site. Though no one else but you could see them some of these would included into the game via the revenue share programme (which everyone could see as these were purchased ingame and a proportion of the funds go to the orginial skin creator). This here is an overview of the past ways it worked: wiki.warthunder.com/index.php?title=Affiliate_Program_Revenue_Share and here is the update on that programe via one of their developer blogs: warthunder.com/en/news/5356-development-heinkel-he-177-a-5-greif-the-flaming-arrow-en The new loobox availiable ones can now be seen by everyone depending on your ingame settings. here's a link to their development blog on the store: warthunder.com/en/news/5398-development-the-war-thunder-market-and-user-camouflages-en The big issues has come up with the fact that 'rare' vehicles previously only availiable during special events called operation Summer and Winter (where you'd grind out specific tasks to get enough tokens to unlock said vehicle at the end of the event), are now availiable via lootboxes randomly dropped after matches (mostly including skins, with the small chance of a vehicle) that have to be unlocked with key much like TF2 or CSGO. These vehicles can now also be sold by other players for ridiculus prices, one of the most notorious being the KV220 which sold for $800 on the market, providing ingame benefits via powerful vehicles not availiable to other via the nomal stores, so unlike CSGO skins this can make gameplay heavily weighted to a team that say feature a KV220 in their roster. now it just leaves me with one question: At what point does it not become ok to scrounge money out of "whales" in a free to play? If you need more information, please contact Gaijin Entertainment (obviously), and prominent War Thunder KZbinrs: those being MikeGoesBoom, ManyMilesAway, Magz TV, PhlyDaily and Ash, as these people are likely to give better information on the game than I could provide, along with any relevant footage you may need. Kind Regards

[@Alphacron]

I have precisely zero interest in War Thunder (and from the sounds of it, will continue to have zero interest), but a quick comment to hopefully bump this up a bit towards the top.

[@OutOfTheShadows1]

Orlando Ford that reminds me of cs go sadly.

[@DoveAlexa]

Good on you!

[@BatteredWalrus]

OutOfTheShadows they've even copied the look of the marketplace 1 for 1

[@camzoman]

Interesting. Consider this comment a bump, I'd like to see Jim cover this, and comments add more visibility than thumbs up youtube.

[@Demosthenes6666]

"Bending, breaking, and bastardizing-" *holds up image of Femto* A+ life choices, Jim. Thank God for you.

[@-Trauma.]

ScarletW Man...that shit filled me with so much rage.

[@nicktailor8062]

Berjerkle reference

[@-Trauma.]

Denglong Fight me!

[@ashleyturner7469]

ScarletW Glad I wasn't the only one who noticed

[@IllegallySighted]

I’m glad to see this loot box crap slowing down in AAA games. That said, I’d LOVE to see a change in mobile games. I’m beyond sick of mobile games bending the player over every 2 seconds for some special currency, wait times, or ads every 2 seconds. Often it’s a combination of all these things. What ever happened to paying a few bucks for a game I can play when and how I want, and not being penalized for doing so? Even games with decent gameplay on mobile are annoying at best. It’s either, keep forking out real money, or grind 30 years until you can afford that one unlock. Please make it stop!

[@redkingrauri3769]

Wow, you literally described American bread the exact same way a Finnish exchange student did when he was living with us. We love our sweets, it seems.

[@CLDHCrew]

True that.

[@Allycat101010]

Actually, since they put it in everything, we've probably got down-regulated sugar receptors in our tastebuds. So stuff just tastes sweeter to people who aren't fed corn syrup constantly.

[@redkingrauri3769]

Allycat101010 makes sense. I stopped eating sugar for months and after that most things tasted really different. Corn syrup flavored things just got nasty.

[@Allycat101010]

Yep. Your body always tries to keep things "normal" at a baseline, so.. if everything/many things are sweet, it just goes "well! This is the most common taste, let's just set that "normal" line right here."

[@hibiscusman]

I'm a little surprised we haven't heard anything from you about Vermintide 2. Solid game, fair amount of really solid content, $30 price point, no microtransactions *at all*... it's pretty excellent to see.

[@KalarMeadia]

... You called him Ursa cause he's your bear, didn't you Jim. I see you (and your wonderful double entendres, or is it tripple?).

[@TheZaius]

Status quo warrior... I like that. Not the warriors. Just the term.

[@shupasopni]

lol SQWs

[@WanderingRagabond]

It’s cheering to see loot box systems get pilloried so widely, but I’m still holding out for the day Overwatch is finally made to give up their precious gambling scheme. We might actually get there yet.

[@mjc0961]

You know, I watch this Sterdust intro, and think about how cool it is that Jim accomplished all this. And then I think about the DigiHom lawsuit special, and the part where Jim takes a break to compare what he did VS what DigiHom did, and I can't help but smugly wonder what our good friend James Romine is up to right now. Because it sure ain't anything as awesome as Sterdust.

[@valonquar1]

"We decided to get rid of lootboxes because we realized you'll pay $20 for a fortnite skin that took one dev about 15 minutes to edit together from other model parts. No more gambling, and tripling down on MTX skins and animations is the new-old model."

[@themagnificentmrmcgee]

Ster Dust kidnaps someone at the beginning...well At least I know this is gonna a be good video

[@RothurThePaladin]

But sea of thieves has no gameplay! what the fuck!?

[@GOGtribute]

Rothur The Paladin it has gameplay, it has no reason to play though

[@misnashummel1495]

what the fuck are either of you talking about. it has gameplay. and it has reasons to play.

[@BachBreaker8]

misnas hummel Nope, stop lying.

[@wobblysauce]

They built a game about Loot boxes with no Loot boxes...

[@name5748]

Just like most AAA games.

[@RocKnight11]

Wait!?!? Sterdust and Jim Sterling are the same person!?!?

[@the_door_opener2622]

What are you wererock, a heathen? Sterling is the son of God, while Sterdust is God himself. While not the exactly the same, they do have links.

[@AlcarT94]

Since he forgot to say it, Thank God for Jim. ps. did he really forget to say it? did i miss it? ah well, the statement still stands. pps. You're my hero JIM

[@GhengisJohn]

3:38. I see Jim knows of Berserk. As all good people should.

[@darkmagician6192]

GhengisJohn watch the devilman ova's

[@-Trauma.]

GhengisJohn That recent chapter in Berserk brought me to tears. :(

[@pokehybridtrainer]

One day, Griffith. One God damn day.

[@StrazdasLT]

He talks about it multiple times on his podcast.

[@myles-tc7336]

The first of many acolytes I'm sure for.....mmm....MMMMMM, STERRRRRDUST!

[@trashpanda5869]

Jim please go after Overwatch next, they can't get away with keeping their lootboxs after other companies dropped them.

[@breadpilled2587]

Mrkindalegal TheBagopaniest overwatch drones will always defend their shitty practices.

[@endrick6380]

*BUT IT'S JUST COSMETIC! IT DOESN'T AFFECT THE GAMEPLAY! REEEEEEE* says Overwatch drones

[@ihatefuckyou]

It doesn't though. What's the argument here? I'm not defending OW, I'm genuinely curious.

[@hoeruokamix]

Personally, I see Overwatch as a bit different, given that you can earn large numbers of lootboxes by playing the Arcade mode.

[@Micras08]

I hate the industry standard of doing loot boxes. Now that being said, I don't see it being a problem in games like Overwatch. Let me start by saying this: I can by no means claim to be an avid Overwatch fan, I rarely play the game because I find it boring/frustrating unless I play with friends who doesn't want to play anything else (Believe it or not, I got my fill of Overwatch, I've moved on to other things). That being said, I really can't see why cosmetic loot boxes (paid for by gametime or real money) is a problem in this isolated case (or replicated in similar games, though I would prefer it not to be the case). Sure it makes other developers/publishers think that there's good money in it, but the thing is: no one is forcing you to buy these boxes. AND even more important: they contain nothing but cosmetics. Sure it's shitty as fuck if you have a hard time resisting said boxes, but that's on you, not the game. I however agree 100 % with the Destiny 2 cash shop thing Sir Sterling is complaining about, that's just poor ethics from Blizzard Activation. To me that's night and day - though I must admit that it could as easily be seen as a seemingly thin line. I dunno, at the end of the day I'd not be opposed to discussing whether or not Overwatch loot boxes are a real issue, I just don't see it atm. It's a tad like League of Legends - sure they started the micro-transaction trend in non-mobile games, but on the other hand I see no problem with their model. In fact I use Riot and Grinding Gear Games (Developers and publishers of Path of Exile) as examples of micro-transactions "done right". TL:DR - sure it might be problematic for some people, but at the end of the day it's nowhere near the shit storm that Battlefront II, Shadow of War or Destiny 2 was/are. To me there's a big difference, but I'm willing to try and see it from others perspective as well.

[@nexus3756]

jim wtf is going on with your wrestling XD I love you man.

[@UmJammerChelle]

Does Jim actually wrestle? Or is he just doing a thing for this episode?

[@growlithekid]

Um Jammer Chelle He has started wrestling recently.

[@SavageGreywolf]

he's having a ball being a wrestling heel in a local promo

[@KingHarambe_RIP]

Stardust is a heel manager in a local Mississippi wrestling promotion. He basically goes out, taunts the crowd and wrestlers, and leads others into fighting for him. Our boy is having a good ol' time with it too!

[@fieldy409]

His backs too messed up to actually wrestle sadly. I imagine he'd have a go otherwise lol.

[@alrswhtx4920]

"Bending, breaking, and bastardizing..." Love how you showed Femto during that sentence, holy shit Jim. Great fucking job

[@helltbrother2]

I think the use of corn syrup vs sugar was a really damn good example to use when talking about loot boxes. It was a smart choice, as sugar vs corn syrup is a pretty understandable topic and just about everyone can understand what both are. Well thought out Jim!

[@sunnym.4077]

Blizzard mainstreamed lootboxes.

[@NatrajChaturvedi]

Sterdust should be in the wwe (don't watch it anymore but will definitely watch for sterdust)

[@Astrothunder_]

Not even joking, Sterdust is the reason I have started watching WWE again after all these years. Something about it just made me feel like catching a Monday night event and I generally enjoyed it even though I haven't watched WWE since I was 12 or 13.

[@LemmaEOF]

sterdust should absolutely not be in WWE. he was made because of a WWE DMCA takedown, and the WWE in general is pretty shit.

[@NatrajChaturvedi]

B0undarybreaker oh I had forgotten about that. Maybe sterdust can get Vince McMahan or Stephanie or whoever to apologize for the DMCA takedown and then he can join wwe. That would be a fun angle...

[@dogishappy0]

Fun fact, the American food industry shifted to corn syrup after regulations on sugar made it more cost effective. My take away, sometimes regulation leads to the widespread implementation of a far worse alternative.

[@musiclover70011]

thats a pretty bad take away, my take away is corporate machines will always tend toward ultimate greed and steps must be taken to reign them in.

[@dogishappy0]

Comyuse Greed is definitely a part of it, but is it always a bad thing? Nevada has a massive water shortage, so instead of buying water from other states they found a way to make waste water drinkable again. They took a bad situation and made the best of it. Same thing happened with sugar. The gov. wanted to tax sugar so businesses found an alternative. Now decades of meddling has resulted in a massive corn-favored economy that is involved with everything from the food our food eats to the fuel in our cars. Again though, is this all bad? Business owners needed a sweetener and here's the Gov. making the deal sweeter (pun intended) by taxing actual sugar. They are only taking a rigged system and using it to their advantage. Now, who is going to clean up the mess? A puddle of mud ain't exactly going to clean itself. It's up to the consumer, and so long as the consumer only cares about what is the cheapest, nothing is going to change. Don't blame the players, blame the game... and do something about it.

[@R3GARnator]

Blind blizzard fanboys.

[@Woot007]

Yup try go in and criticize lets say World of warcraft and you get hammered by 1000s of fanboys crying over you are the stupied one for not sharing thier views.

[@kindafunnyfriendkyle9632]

Blizzard does some cool stuff but they have HORRIBLE practices.

[@Omgacow1000]

Blizzard fanboys are insane in how they blindly accept everything the company does. I should know because I used to be a Blizzard fanboy. However the past few years I have come to the realization that the company I used to adore is now Activision. Blizzard is dead

[@thebenc1537]

Hey Sterling, were you aware of the advertising campaign trying to change the name of corn syrup to corn sugar and trying to convince people that is just as healthy as normal sugar?

[@JimSterling]

Oh yeah, I remember that! And again, we can draw parallels with the game industry where they try and repackage old shit as new shit.

[@CKT1138]

Jim Sterling (note; it's really hard to find an agreed consensus on this, so maybe I'm wrong) Technically it's not "worse" for you than regular sugar, it just affects your body in different organs, however the amount needed to make a discernable impact on your body would be a lot, like, enough to where the difference would hardly matter anyway because of just how much sheer sweetener you consumed. At that point, sugar would probably do just as much damage. That's just what I found through research

[@crystalsoulslayer]

Conventional sugar is sucrose; too much of it isn't _great_ for you, obviously, but your body has to break it down. You've got some enzymes that do some science to it, converting it roughly 50-50 into the two simple sugars: glucose and fructose. Glucose is the form of simple sugar that your cells use for energy, by way of insulin. Excess glucose can cause various forms of havoc. Fructose has very little effect on the glycemic index (blood sugar), and is either excreted or converted into other stuff, mostly fat. Corn syrup, though, is not conventional sugar (sucrose). It's used as a sugar substitute because it's cheaper, easier to transport, and easier to use in large-scale production. And it tastes the same. The difference is corn syrup is _just straight glucose._ The same "sweetness level" of corn syrup will have at least twice the effect on your body that sugar would. And it does it instantly. Your body doesn't have to process it, so instead of a more gradual increase in your glycemic index, your blood sugar levels are being launched into orbit with a fucking Tesla strapped to them. Human beings have not evolved to deal with that. Thus, it is very bad for us. High-fructose corn syrup probably takes longer to give us diabetes, but it's more likely to cause weight gain and heart disease.

[@TheSparrowLooksUp]

LOOK TO THE STERS!

[@robadc]

And tremble in fear?

[@joshthompson7936]

I'm looking forward to Sterdust eventually entering the Lake of Reincarnation and the AAA games industry being decimated by 'Woken' Jim Sterling

[@guy8528]

"bending, breaking and bastardizing" *cuts to Griffith* Jim knows what's up.

[@PlayCator]

I wonder if ESO will get rid of their loot boxes. Only way I'll ever go back to it, personally. Maybe do a video about that, Sterling. :D Thank god for you.

[@emehlos2500]

Yeah ESO's double (triple?) dipping on monetization is crappy.

[@Beriorn]

3:38 I'm sorry Jim, but did you just suggest that Griffith... did something wrong? Because if you did you are Bizarro-Griffith because you have done wrong and he has done none of that.

[@AkumaKristian]

I thought of it more as the fact that Femto is the result of Griffith being broken.

[@SirusDiarota]

Considering what's being said while that image is on screen, I'd think we need to consider a different angle here. Think less Beserk reference, and more.... "Dominatrix"

[@krios4141]

That intro tho... 11/10 would watch again

[@thebrokencrayon257]

Its amazing what you can learn from a good dumpster fire.

[@b0tster]

Everyone talking about lootboxes and I'm just happy that the FF9 music is back :)

[@MelodieOctavia]

I love the Sterdust character so much. I'm glad that Shaky is being such a good sport about it.

[@dreammfyre]

Still waiting for that episode on the mobile market, Jim. Good old Squenix is still releasing like a lootbox game a month over there. Nostalgia plus gambling is a "winning" concept it seems. And wasn't Sony's most profitable game in 2017 a mobile lootbox/gacha game? Also, let's not forget Fire Emblem Heroes, the most successful gacha game in the west right now, made by the "good" guys over at Nintendo. You can't just turn the blind eye on these games just because they're "F2P". Lootboxes are still just as shitty. And it's not like 60$ get you much in these game either, if you're "unlucky" you literally just pissed away it all.

[@darkwater124]

Speaking of the year of the Battle Royale, did you hear that Cliffy and the guys at Boss Key are making a new Battle Royale game called Radical Heights? They're creatively bankrupt, soon to match their financial status.

[@ricojes]

B I L L I O N D O L L A R I P

[@sirbossk]

I'm still pissed that the likes of Blizzard, Valve, and Psyonix get a pass for their unregulated gambling tactics, and I am quite surprised that normal microtransactions are now the "good guy" thing to do (seriously, what the fuck?), but this is at least going in the right direction. I'm still of the belief that there are no ethical microtransactions. Seriously, great episode though.

[@cakeu]

Correction: Paladins already had a lootbox system. Preety much, the game has a card system; you can make a deck of 5 cards, that each add bonuses to your abilities, like lower cooldowns etc. Each card had a level, ranging from level 1 to 5. The higher the level, the higher the bonus. You had to use a total of 12 points for the whole deck. Before, you could select what level you want for the cards, but you had to unlock the cards, by getting them from Radient chests (that you could get from leveling up or buying with gold), or you could buy them with Essence. (a currency that you get from get duplicates of cards) In OB64, the "P2W" update, you had all cards for free, but to level them up, you had to unlock duplicates. Just to get from level 1 to 2, you had to get duplicates. Keep in mind there were around 30 characters in total in the game, and the chests were random, and there are 16 cards per card. In OB67, you kept all cards for free, you could level them just like before without getting duplicates, the radient chests have been removed from the game, and the decks have gone from 12 points to 15.

[@meidomiseri]

OH god , They're letting you do story elements for the wrestling now Jim... I am so glad you made some new friends :P

[@KaiserAfini]

*Sees Sterdust, sees thumbs up button* Aaand click.

[@Damalycus]

no

[@CrossKnights]

also yes.

[@brokengames9020]

5:50 HFCS is everywhere and not really regulated... and if it is they violate the regulations... 7:30 any MTX is bad for you. 9:15 update is still not live... they can still scam people... 15:10 Exactly... but more people need to realize that. how mafiAAA treats you with SSS(scam & spy services) They think you are a cash crop ready to harvest any time.

[@Taaseer]

Yeeeees #SterDust

[@portal4ever257]

Maybe, who really knows one thing I’ve learn in the past few months is the games industry and its customers are incredibly unpredictable

[@brokengames9020]

incredibly predictable* Thats why mafiAAA is releasing sub-standardized video games.

[@GHorta-dp2km]

So when will they push the envelope so much that lootboxes seem like the generous option?

[@bindair_dundat]

Mark my words: some other shit is coming.

[@microbial2007]

I hope to christ it's the abolishment of microtransactions and the return of talented independent game developers who give a shit more about entertainment than profits.

[@legitcomments2978]

Bindair Dundat It's me ;)

[@Spacefrisian]

Creation Club is already here, die hard fans dont even realise what it is yet....Behind a paywall on hard drive content.

[@depotagents]

Jim I would die for a Sterdust compilation. I would kill for one. A best of Sterdust, which is just every piece of Sterdust footage, because all Sterdust footage is the best.