Controversy over’probability-type item regulation’ is spreading in the game industry. Together with Democratic Party lawmaker Lee Sang-heon, they have come to a situation where they are promoting the introduction of regulations, such as a representative proposal for the revision of the Game Industry Promotion Act. Probability-type items are game items that may or may not obtain the item with a specific probability. It refers to randomly obtaining useful weapons or tools by opening an item received during the game, like scratching a lottery ticket. Some of the game enthusiasts criticize that “even though I spent millions of won, there are a lot of times I get angry with poor items.” The related amendment contains the content that game companies should transparently disclose the probability of a probability item’draw’. The revised bill is scheduled to be presented at the general meeting of the National Assembly’s Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee on the 24th.
“The self-regulation is not effective”
The Korean Game Society issued a statement supporting Lee’s amendment on the 22nd, saying, “Efforts to disclose the probability of items by voluntary regulation seem to have reached the limit.” The game industry has disclosed the probability of autonomously drawing probabilistic items since the late 2000s, saying that it will create a transparent usage ecosystem.
The Game Society points out that self-regulation is not effective. According to the Game Society, there are only 7 game companies that have actively disclosed probability-type item probability so far, including NCsoft, Nexon, and Netmarble. The odds of a total of 340 games were revealed, but except for 6 games such as Epic Seven and Dark Eden, the rest are games from 7 game companies. An official of the game society said, “There is no way to check whether the probability that the game company discloses is accurate.”
Some game users also joined the move in favor of regulations. On the 16th, a post was posted on the Blue House National Petition saying,’We are petitioning for the disclosure of probability of probability-type items and disclosure of all in-game information.’ Currently, more than 12,000 people agreed. Petitioner argued that “just as you can know how much harmful substances are contained when buying food, you must guide in advance what can be obtained and what can happen when buying a probability item in the game.”
Regulatory proponents argue that this regulation will lead the development of the game industry in the long term. This means that the game ecosystem can develop only when user trust is high. Jeong-Hyun Wi, a professor at the Department of Business Administration at Chung-Ang University, explained, “The legalization of probability disclosure will prevent such a situation and prevent further regulation of the game industry.”
“We cannot force exposure of trade secrets”
On the 15th, the Korea Game Industry Association submitted a written opinion to the National Assembly saying, “The disclosure of the probability of probabilistic items in the amendment to the Game Act is more of a regulation rather than promotion of the game industry.” It is said that domestic game companies have excessive obligations and responsibilities. The game industry emphasizes that the probability composition of a probability item corresponds to’business secret’. A game association official said, “Determining how the probability of drawing items is structured is one of the most essential parts for the fun of the game,” and said, “A representative trade secret that each game company invests a considerable amount of money for.”
Regarding the point that self-regulation is not effective, he said that it should be taken into account that the industry is still in a transitional period to gain trust. Few countries enforce probabilistic item regulations. An official from the game industry said, “The only place that fully enforces the regulation is China, a state-led planned economy system,” and said, “In the UK, the US and Japan, self-regulation is naturally in place.”
Reporter Minki Koo/Sanghoon Sung [email protected]
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