Loot boxes divide opinion. Some gamers love them, while others not so much. One thing that can’t be denied, though, is that loot boxes have had a huge impact on the industry for over two decades. You have to go all the way back to 2003 for the first ever game to feature loot boxes, which was MapleStory (2003). Flashforward to 2024 and almost every major game franchise you can think of now features in-game loot boxes, including FIFA, NBA 2K, and Star Wars Battlefront. If a publisher wants to make money and attract as many players as possible, they pretty much have to include loot boxes and microtransactions. Otherwise, people simply aren’t interested.

What Are Loot Boxes?

Loot boxes are in-game rewards that can be purchased using real money or virtual currencies.

Often, loot boxes are randomized. In other words, you don’t know which specific reward you’re going to get, which means you’re essentially “gambling”. For example, in the McLuck social casino, you can get a Mcluck sign up bonus of 2.5 SWEEPS COINS. Through the online slot machines, you can then bet these coins, spin the reels, and (hopefully) land a winning combination of symbols. However, you don’t know for sure what the outcome is going to be, which is where the element of gambling comes from.

The Benefits of Loot Boxes

Although loot boxes divide opinion, they do come with lots of benefits for the most part. Ultimately, these benefits have had a hugely positive impact on the past several generations of gamers, which is why developers continue to use them. So, let’s examine what these benefits actually are.

1.    Enhanced User Experience

The main benefit of loot boxes is that they enhance the user experience. They provide the opportunity for players to get their hands on in-game skins, new weapons, additional maps, map expansions, better-quality items, and more — all for a relatively affordable price. Naturally, this appeals significantly to die hard fans of games who want to squeeze every last drop out of the experience they have. For example, passionate Star Wars Battlefront 2 fans can purchase loot boxes in the multiplayer mode that contain credits, emotes, and victory poses, which all contribute to an enhanced user experience.

2.    More Free-to-Play Games

Another major positive of loot boxes is that they’ve enabled many publishers to offer their games for free. This is because the publishers make their profits directly through loot boxes and microtransactions rather than actual game purchases, which has allowed them to adopt a free-to-play model. Of course, this benefits players the most, as they get to download popular games for free, such as Apex Legends, and not have to worry about spending a dime.

3.    Increased Excitement and Anticipation

Because most loot boxes are randomized, they lead to increased excitement and anticipation. An excellent example of this is the EA Sports FC 24, where you get to purchase in-game loot boxes that contain random players. Some of these players might be extremely valuable, such as TOTS cards, whereas others might have no value at all. The key here is that you simply don’t know what you’re going to get, which is where the excitement and anticipation stems from.

Summary — What Does the Future Hold for Loot Boxes?

Unless loot boxes start being regulated and banned in more countries, they’ll continue to be a huge part of modern gaming for a long time. This is because they benefit video game companies (who get to make extra profit) and players (who can enhance their gaming experience and get access to more features). If you decide to purchase in-game loot boxes yourself, remember to do this responsibly and only spend an amount that you can realistically afford.