Rocket League developer Psyonix announced today that it will be removing random loot boxes from the game sometime later this year.
In the announcement post, the studio said it would be removing all paid, randomized loot boxes, called Crates, and would be replaced with “a system that shows the exact items you’re buying in advance.”
In Rocket League, Crates are earned randomly by completing multiplayer matches. Players then have to buy Keys, or earn them from the Rocket Pass, to find out what cosmetic item or car is inside.
Psyonix compared the change to when Epic Games, who owns Psyonix, removed the blind aspect of Fortnite: Save the World’s loot boxes, or Llamas, earlier this year. The game still contained loot boxes, but would show exactly what was in the specific Llama before players could purchase it.
The studio said it would share more details on the change in the coming months and that the Rocket Pass, DLC cars, and Esports Shop items would continue to be bought directly alongside the new system.
Psyonix may be following the trend of other developers who have shown the odds of loot boxes or removed them entirely as countries have investigated whether the practice is a form of gambling. Belgium declared loot boxes illegal last year, while one UK MP insisted it was not and one US Senator plans to introduce a bill on selling loot boxes to minors.
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