Apple requires loot boxes come with odds of winning

I'll give credit to Apple for this next story, they've now changed their rules for the App Store that any apps that sell "loot boxes" must let people know what the odds of winning are. Basically loot boxes are a chance to win a prize, which has become a popular practice in the past couple years but consumers are starting to realize their odds of winning aren't so great and that you've got to spend a ton of money in an effort to win special items or abilities in these apps. I'm hoping this is precedence setting and that other app stores following suit because some companies (I'm looking at you EA) have really taken the whole loot box concept to stupid levels. ArsTechnica has more on this story.

Apple rolled out a number of iOS App Store rule changes on Wednesday, and the one that catches your eye will likely depend on your mobile-app interests. The biggest change, at least in terms of number of people likely reached, is a tweak to a major rule about video games on the platform: how loot boxes are advertised to players.

9to5Mac was among the first sites to dig into the rules update and pick out the big changes, and it found that Apple has opted to use the term "loot boxes," which it defines as "mechanisms that provide randomized virtual items for purchase." Now, any game or app that utilizes such a random-item system "must disclose the odds of receiving each type of item to customers prior to purchase."