- Psyonix announces Rocket League will no longer have loot boxes

Epic Games, acquired Psyonix, the developer of Rocket League earlier this year. While that came as a pretty surprising move, it was a kind of welcome change for the game. For an industry-giant like Epic to back an Esport game, with a very strong community that is still at a nascent stage, was something the community looked at pretty optimistically. However, with that move, the surprises didn’t end. Soon after the acquisition, we got to know about the next big thing on the radar for Rocket League, that is, the removal of loot boxes from the game.

Epic Games announced that the game will no longer have loot boxes, and while the community stands divided on the decision and the implementation of the same, the move sets a very good precedent for the gaming industry. Existing crates in the game were converted into blueprints, which showed what item can be crafted by utilizing a set number of credits, depending on rarity and finish. Credits, of course, can be bought using real money. However, what’s praiseworthy is the removal of loot boxes, which depended on RNG, and indirectly supported unethical methods like gambling.

The Blueprint system isn't without its problems, however. When it was first introduced, players were very upset over the new item pricing. While Blueprints brought transparency that Crates didn't, their introduction also jacked up the rates in the item store. Many felt that they were paying for the removal of loot boxes by having individual items cost double what they did before. Psyonix listened and quickly lowered the prices, hopefully ending the turmoil. If you are in need of Cheap Rocket League wheels, come to 5mmo.com, where you can enjoy the cheapest price online and 3% off with a coupon code “5MMO”.

Despite that hiccup, the story of Rocket League abandoning loot boxes is mostly a happy one. It shows that a video game can still have collectible items that draw a profit without preying on addiction through randomization. This is a big deal in a world where many governments are weighing the benefits of outlawing loot boxes altogether. Psyonix could be leading the industry by showing what a loot-less business model looks like.

On the other hand, Psyonix was acquired by Epic Games this year. The sale happened in May and Psyonix announced the loot box overhaul in August. Could that Epic contract, lucrative as the rumors say, have influenced the decision? Could other developers without such a big backer afford to dump loot boxes? Psyonix has been very flexible through this whole economy shift, and it might only be so confident in the move because Epic is paying the bills.