Loot Boxes

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Loot Boxes (aka "Loot Crate", "Prize Crate", and many other names. Also to not be confused for a mail order subscription were mystery boxes) are consumable items that can be redeemed to received a randomized box that opens up virtual prizes, like skins, in-game currency, weapons, and armor. - Also, an annoying factor if the gamer already has that cosmetic(s). Some of these virtual prizes are "rare" to obtained and are color coded for convenience|color coded to separate them from the frequents prizes that regularly drops. The loot boxes' Asian counterparts are similar to the gashapon vending machines, besides having similar traits to their western cousins. But the difference that these loot boxes has: are the player spins to get randomize items, and mostly go by a vending machine appearance. One of these types of gachapon loot boxes are the "complete gacha" (aka konpu gacha) were players need to collect items akin to puzzle pieces to form one huge yet rare item. They can be bought using real money to buy microtransactions, grinding for virtual money, buying keys from the virtual store and using them to redeem, wait for them to be drop during or after gameplay, to reach the next level, special occasions or events, play and complete rounds without quitting during in a multiplayer, MMNO, and co-op games. Some of the loot boxes' contents can be tradeable after redeeming or converting them into in-game currency, which can be use to buy the items that they want. All of these versions of loot boxes can be found in the smallest mobile games and up to the huge video games that can be found in PC and consoles, especially ones that uses the free to play models.

One of the earliest and major influential form of loot boxes originated from some of EA's earlier FIFA games, like FIFA Soccer, and this was a bit long before the loot systems that are found in MMORG and the mobile games' popularity boom, which are also the loot boxes' prehistoric family; since they all paved the way to the modern form of loot boxes. Andrew Wilson, one of EA's CEOs, evolved FIFA's systems since he saw that they can merge microtransactions with the surprise boxes. Some of the reasons why game companies uses these controversial mechanics was so they can get ongoing revenue while not dealing with DLC or game subscriptions tediousness, but to keep gamers engaged and getting on-going revenue to possibly keep the game(s) in question updated and in good conditions.

These game mechanics are not without controversy, gamers hate loot boxes since they deem them to be predatory in nature and equates them to gambling, since it has a chance mechanic were people will be made to spend more money just to get the skins, weapons, or armor that they want if they do not get the skin that they want. Also the nature of rewarding those that spend more money on loot boxes to get more perks and minimizing actual gameplay and organic leveling up. As well as the fact that a game which has loot boxes are already heavily priced, like 30 or 60 US dollars, for the main game and offer so little content or worst, having to buy content or features that should have been in the game in the first place. The prize crates also came under fire by international countries, like Belgium, that ruled them as gambling, placing them alongside casinos, and Japan were the kompu gacha loot boxes are banned by the Consumer Affairs Agency (It's only complete gacha loot boxes, the rest still remains being used). Some of the reasons why non-gamers, like politicians, took noticed was because of fearing of an underground market involving skins, besides the usual dreading that young kids and teens' developing minds will become akin to the gambling addicts.

Examples of Loot Boxes include:

MOBA

• League of Legends
• Paladins has the Treasure Chests can be earned by doing certain quests. To open them the gamer needs Crystals, the in-game currency, which can be obtained by microtransactions, buying the Battle or Season Passes, buying them straight from the store, redeeming codes, doing special quests, daily logins, and Refer-A-Friend.
• DOTA 2's Treasures can be purchased through the DOTA 2 store, using charms, or waiting for item drops.

First Person Shooter

• Counter-Strike's Weapon Cases drops right after a gamer completes a game round, buying a key from the tie-in game store, or buying from some guy selling it in the Steam Markets. Since keys are needed to unlock the cases.
• Team Fortress 2's loot box system is similar to CSGO, they randomly drop and needs keys to open them (Which can be bought from the Mann.Co store, using the Steam Market to buy it from a seller, or a fan trusted site, like Scrap.TF).

[[Fighting Game|Fighting Games

• Injustice 2: To receive Mother Boxes, the gamer needs to link to the game's mobile counterpart, win all of the endings, completing all of the tutorials, doing the story mode, engaging the daily challenges, or leveling up both of your player card and individual characters.

MMORPG and MMO

• RuneScape's daily mini-game, Treasure Hunter, which offers five crates were the gamer has to choose one but they need a key to unlock, which can be obtain by drops or can be bought in groups with real money.

Hybrids

• Paragon's loot crates are dropped randomly after completing matches and they need Keys to open. To get Keys it's to open chests, buy them from the in-game store with real money, and being rewarded from rank 13+.
• With Overwatch, some of the ways to get a loot box is to buy them straight from the store via microtransactions, grind to the next level, waiting for drops, and special holidays/ events.
• Fortnite got three types:
  • The Loot Llama are dropped in an area.
  • Supply Drops are loot crates that randomly drops, they contain supplies and one legendary weapon.
  • In story mode|Save the World, Llama Pinatas can spawn in certain areas of maps and contain gear and supplies, they can either be bought straight from the Event Store or earned via gameplay.