Australia may introduce harsher age ratings for games with loot boxes—including the likes of FIFA, and the NBA 2K games—if changes proposed by the federal government are passed. The Albanese government announced yesterday its terms for a modified National Classification Scheme, and among the changes include a minimum M rating for games with paid loot boxes, and a minimum R18+ rating for games containing "simulated gambling".
That means any game with loot boxes purchasable with real money could be slapped with an M rating, even a good 'ol soccer game like FIFA, which normally receives a G rating in Australia (for general audiences). On the other hand, the changes would not affect games like Hot Wheel Unleashed, which is the last game I played with loot boxes, because they can only be purchased with in-game currency, which itself cannot be purchased with real money.
