Home Videos What is a Lootbox? The Story Behind Gaming's Most Dangerous and Delightful Addiction

What is a Lootbox? The Story Behind Gaming's Most Dangerous and Delightful Addiction

by devaccess



Whether you like it or not – when you buy a loot box, you’re gambling.

Sure, it seems like you’re just harmlessly spending a few bucks on random skins. But what you’re actually doing is feeding your hard-earned money into an unregulated wagering system capable of inspiring destructive addiction.

Loot boxes are in-game chests that you can either pay for or earn through grinding a game.

Over the last few years, we’ve seen an an enormous surge in the popularity of loot boxes, but they’ve actually been around for a long time.

Written by: Daniel Rosen (@Daniel_Rosen)
Edited by: Colten Gowan (@TheOnlyZoltan)
Produced & Hosted by: Miles Hackett (@miles_hackett)
Shot by: Matt Massey
Illustrated animations by: Christian Pearson (@Chr_Pearson)

Music used under license from Associated Production Music LLC (”APM”).

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49 comments

Cheesle2 April 25, 2019 - 7:28 am

Don't spend money on lootboxes, just buy what skins you want from the market.

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Lycocytar, The Poor Guy April 25, 2019 - 7:28 am

1:46 is nobody going to acknowledge the fact that he's holding a damn PSP?
— Maybe it's gonna be only me then.

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cutie pie April 25, 2019 - 7:28 am

Someone should report PUBG Mobile for unlicensed and illegal gambling. If any one has played that game to get costumes you basically need to purchase ingame currency with real money and gamble for a 0.3 percent chance to get the cool items. Lol . It's criminal what they are doing.

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joxan Fuentes April 25, 2019 - 7:28 am

I’m sorry but I hate the fact that you put apex packs with the other loot boxes

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Princess Luna April 25, 2019 - 7:28 am

Oh fate GO, that game has sucked my wallet dry so often

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Neutral April 25, 2019 - 7:28 am

Where did he get that shirt?

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Cyber April 25, 2019 - 7:28 am

4:54 i wanted skin for wingma.. fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu

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Rino Tattini April 25, 2019 - 7:28 am

Probably the only one complaining about Elsword in this comment section but, Avatar sets that give character stats is probably the most broken and the worst type of loot you can think of: something that should be only aestethic that instead has an impact on the gameplay, that also forces you to use something you don't like because looks ugly to you just because it has the best stats… if only all lootboxes in all games were aestethic only items…

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doei hoi April 25, 2019 - 7:28 am

A correction on the video.

In the Netherlands lootboxes have not been banned. They are considering it, but I can still buy them. The law has not passed legaslation yet.

I hate lootboxes

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rec0il _1 April 25, 2019 - 7:28 am

5:34 lmao

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DrazaM41 April 25, 2019 - 7:28 am

It's definitely not okay, they should be gone, forgotten, not spoken of.

Every publisher should get slapped on the wrists and be told "No!". It happened to EA, why not the others? Battlefield V has no LootBoxes©. You choose an item (such as outfits and paint) and buy it!

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猫我蜜糖 April 25, 2019 - 7:28 am

It is an exploitation of the region's law and regulation to serve gambling activities towards a demographics that is restrain from gambling. It disguises itself as a moderate expenditure hobby to induce the thrill of feeling lucky.

Look at the bloody amount of gambling ads there are for games such as Dota 2 or CS:GO. That is insane because the demographics consist not only adults but a huge majority of kids and teenagers.

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Risto Karatisto April 25, 2019 - 7:28 am

Fifa is basically lootbox simulator

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Naive Gamer April 25, 2019 - 7:28 am

GIMME SOME BLUE SKINS F THE PURPLE SKINS AND ABOVE BLUE SKINS WHERE ITS AT

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Naive Gamer April 25, 2019 - 7:28 am

gimme some blue skins

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Gillbrit April 25, 2019 - 7:28 am

OMFG GUYS I saved up for this momment, 250k pack..OMG guys let's beg and see what we get…it's opening…

best player was a Random 84 rated Turkish player

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Broken Gaming Network April 25, 2019 - 7:28 am

This is why I like League of Legends system of getting skins. You pay for credits and use them to get what you want. Other gaming companies need to take a page from Riot Games in regards to cosmetics.

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iRed April 25, 2019 - 7:28 am

In Rainbow Six you can’t buy Loot Boxes for real money!

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CalamityZ April 25, 2019 - 7:28 am

3 words:
Mom’s credit card

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MongKes April 25, 2019 - 7:28 am

anomaly omegalulz

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TenseiganXL Gaming April 25, 2019 - 7:28 am

The trouble began with games selling lootboxes that give the player an in-game advantage. Games like Apex and Overwatch merely give cosmetics only, so why bash on all of them instead of only bashing the bad eggs that started this..?

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Eugene InLaw April 25, 2019 - 7:28 am

lotbox is dangerous unregulated gambling and MUST be banned worldwide

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Chicken Shuriken April 25, 2019 - 7:28 am

Pls bring back josh….

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Inkaman - April 25, 2019 - 7:28 am

I live in the netherlands, but i can still just buy lootboxes and stuf… Dont know haw that works.

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TheGamingPanda April 25, 2019 - 7:28 am

Thats your fault dont be dumb

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Pom Lamb April 25, 2019 - 7:28 am

Gotcha games?
More like gotcha money…

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RaiZeNyao April 25, 2019 - 7:28 am

Josh is lootbox in this video?

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THOT HUNTER April 25, 2019 - 7:28 am

Gacha is good civilization mate this vid is a hoax

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Michael Hand April 25, 2019 - 7:28 am

Loot box's aren't dangerous.

Gambling isn't immoral.

People today are soft.

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Christian S April 25, 2019 - 7:28 am

kids should just gamble on real casino sites and spend the winnings on the skins they want. still better value LUL

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canthon25 - April 25, 2019 - 7:28 am

I don't see.an issue with a big company creating a bad/exploitable loot box system

I do think they should detail how it works before you buy, but if it's really that bad then just don't buy it

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Vincent Dion April 25, 2019 - 7:28 am

Goddamn Finka main

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Negligent Discharge April 25, 2019 - 7:28 am

Heeeyyyy, music theory joke. I hate music theory.

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JoshiiDou April 25, 2019 - 7:28 am

Like this comment if you already played Bandori/FGO ?

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Queen Naii April 25, 2019 - 7:28 am

MatPat! I choose you!!

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bob dole April 25, 2019 - 7:28 am

hmmm. first time I used maplestory's gachapon was 2006…

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Mr NiceGuy 8D April 25, 2019 - 7:28 am

me gusta ur finka shirt man ??

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Gazz Gaspay April 25, 2019 - 7:28 am

1:36 Wow I see Bandori. Their Gacha is so addicting to be honest because its too rewarding.

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Elchinodiabolero April 25, 2019 - 7:28 am

Finka main DansGame

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Sie, Evan Setiawan April 25, 2019 - 7:28 am

Please do one video on "what is skin?"

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Matthew Lizotte April 25, 2019 - 7:28 am

Siren siren loot box police .. ur incorrect loot boxes have been around way before 2007 .. look up kabam.com and the game EdgeWorld.. i played that game from 1990 – 2018 and since it came out there has alwase been loot boxes on it and rhe game is world wide and for the tokens to get loot boxes ur spending between $10.00 to $200.00

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Lukáš Kollárovič April 25, 2019 - 7:28 am

Hello there, why isnt there Rainbow Six Siege in your mobile app ?

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Squid Z-Ken April 25, 2019 - 7:28 am

2:39 holy shit I never expected LOTRO to be in a score esports vid

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Foxx Ruel April 25, 2019 - 7:28 am

Love the Finka swag

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Jayy April 25, 2019 - 7:28 am

I think Overwatch has done loot boxes right.
Don't need to buy any. And you get credits to buy what you want over time.

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ichsan maulana April 25, 2019 - 7:28 am

Gacha for skin ❎❎❎
Gacha for New Character ☑️☑️☑️

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wesley dm1999 April 25, 2019 - 7:28 am

Lootboxes are actually not banned in the netherlands yet, in belgium they are tho

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fiQ April 25, 2019 - 7:28 am

Can we get a video about best saves in Rocket League history?

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iiPolaris April 25, 2019 - 7:28 am

It’s called gacha in BanG Dream you uncultured swine

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