If you’ve been following the video game business over the past couple years or so, you’ll know that there has been a controversial emerging trend. I’m talking about loot boxes, which are purchasable virtual items. The more controversial nature with these boxes, however, is that when purchased, you have no idea what you will be getting, and therefore, there is the idea that buying loot boxes is a form a gambling, and that developers are just finding ways to rip off consumers.

Recent months has seen immense backlash against loot boxes, with Star Wars Battlefront II being one such game…but who is to blame for this? Should we blame the devs for including these loot boxes in the game, or are gamers themselves to blame? Michael Pachter is a video game analyst, and speaking with VentureBeat, he gave his two cents as to who we should be pointing the finger at.

“Why are there loot boxes? Because consumers are stupid and they’ll spend thousands of dollars trying to get that hard-to-get thing. If you put it up for sale for $500 they won’t buy it. I mean, I actually think the Chinese solution – posting the odds of getting each item – is the right way to do it. This thing has a 1-in-250 chance in the loot box, or you can buy it for $250. Then people realize, I have to buy 250 loot boxes for $600 to get it? Then they’ll just buy it.”

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Of course, you don’t need to take this guy’s word as gospel. He may ultimately be correct, but he’s clearly not immune to letting his own opinion cloud his judgment on things, and in the interview, he makes it very clear that he doesn’t consider loot boxes gambling, and has gone as far to hate on the Hawaiian lawmakers who are trying to limit loot boxes.

“In the U.S., there’s very low probability anybody passes legislation to regulate loot boxes. The guys in Hawaii are just f**king morons. They’re morons. They should not only resign, but they should kill themselves. They’re so idiotic. Seriously. They’re such morons. One of the two idiot legislators said—I forget the studio. But they said something like, ‘EA shut down my favorite studio in 2005 and I’ve hated them ever since.’ He said that on the record. We’re going to legislate against loot boxes? What an asshole.”

Clearly, this guy doesn’t mince words, and while he has decades of experience, it’s hard not to raise your eyebrows at his comments. But what do you think? Do you agree with his comments? Let us know your thoughts down below!

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SOURCE: VentureBeat