Probability-type items have once again risen to the topic of the game industry with a bill to amend the entire game industry promotion law (amendment to the game law). This is why the politics and the game industry are showing a temperature difference over the disclosure of probability of probability-type items.
On December 15th, Rep. Lee Sang-heon (Deocratic Democratic Party), a member of the National Assembly’s Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee, proposed an amendment to the Game Act.
The revised bill is the main contents of ▲Simplification of the rating process ▲Must display of probability-type items ▲Exemption from rating classification for non-profit games ▲Support for small and medium game companies ▲Exemption from minor content modification reports ▲Prohibition of illegal game advertisements ▲Appointment of domestic agents of overseas game companies And the like, and the contents of the current Chapter 7 Article 48 have been greatly increased from Chapter 8 Article 92.
Among them, the politics and the game industry are making a dissonance over the provision for mandatory display of probability-type items.
The amendment to the game law included the first legal definition of probabilistic items, and it included that game companies were obligated to disclose the probability of drawing in-game items. With this, the game industry is interpreting as a cornerstone to regulate probability-type items led by the state rather than the current self-regulation.
Accordingly, the game industry protested, saying that the probability of picking a probability item is a trade secret. In fact, the Korea Game Industry Association took an official response by delivering a written opinion including the relevant information to the office of the Council of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
According to the Korea Game Industry Association, the amendment to the Game Act ▲ that it impedes the predictability of business operators by expressing unclear concepts and scope ▲ that it enforces obligations by creating a number of new provisions that did not exist ▲ It is against equity compared to other laws They pointed out that ▲ excessive invasion of the freedom of business ▲ is not effective or is unlikely to be realized.
In particular, the definition of the probability item specified in the amendment is unclear and hinders the predictability of the business operator, saying, “It is a representative trade secret that business operators manage secretly by investing considerable expenses in the provisions related to probability items included in the amendment of the Game Act.” I explained.
In addition, they pointed out that the revision of the game law focuses on regulation, not promotion.
Rep. Lee Sang-heon, who received an opinion letter from the Game Industry Association containing this information, immediately issued a statement and showed a firm position to the Game Industry Association.
Rep. Lee Sang-heon pointed out that the Korea Game Industry Association raised a number of reasons, but the opposition to the amendment to the Game Act was because the contents of probability disclosure of probability items were included in the amendment, and that it was the game industry that encountered this situation. said.
“Regulation through law is the last resort. We should avoid intervening in the market as much as possible. However, the game industry has turned away from opportunities for midnight given several times. Self-regulation has turned into an assortment of faces.” .
In addition, he said, “The Korea Game Industry Association has argued that Korea’s regulation is severe, citing overseas cases,” he said. “It is necessary to look at overseas cases for the controversy over the regulation of probabilistic items.”
Next, the U.S. and the Royal Society of Public Health, where a probabilistic item regulation bill was submitted in Minnesota, concluded that in-game probabilistic items should be considered gambling and should be removed from games under the age of 18. did.
Rep. Lee Sang-heon said, “It is only to stipulate in the law the probability of acquiring items that are already disclosed by self-regulation. Moreover, disclosure of probability is the minimum right to know that users want. Meanwhile, Kangwon Land slot machines are also disclosing the winning probability and the refund rate.” Said.
In addition, he emphasized, “If the association and the industry endlessly reject this as well and block legalization through other means, there will be no future for our game industry. This is the reason why the 21st National Assembly must be legalized.”
The Korean Game Society also pointed out the limitations of probabilistic item self-regulation.
The Korean Game Association pointed out that there have been efforts to autonomously disclose item probability information for the past six years, but it has not been effective, and said that there are no cases in industrial products, finance, and service industries that do not disclose product information.
Probability-type items While the politics of the game industry and the politicians differ over the disclosure of probability information, while the game industry acknowledges the necessity of reorganizing the profit model based on probability-type items, there are voices of concern that it may lead to side effects.
An official from a mobile game developer said, “If the regulation of probabilistic items is intensified, there is a possibility that game companies will adopt a profit model that sells high-grade items or characters at high prices.”
“If the profit model of buying a character or item for money is adopted, it is unlikely that the price will be lower than it is now. Companies can set the price of the item higher to maintain sales and profits.” “Users who have spent a lot of money on probabilistic items will not reduce their spending on purchasing items even if the profit model changes. Applying the probabilistic item regulation without deep thoughts could lead to a significant increase in the polarization of users in the game by the purchaser. There is” he explained.
There is also an opinion that it is necessary to be wary of the speculative frame being covered by the entire game industry due to the probabilistic item controversy. In this case, there are also those who are concerned about the possibility that the game to which the probabilistic item is applied will be incorporated into the industry managed by the Integrated Industry Supervision Committee, not the Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee.
A publisher official said, “In 2019, the Sahang Industry Integrated Supervision Committee pointed out the management of probability-type items. At the debate held by the Sahaeng Industry Integrated Supervision Committee at the time, it is difficult to see the probability-type items as light, but the game industry is too large It was pointed out that enjoying freedom was a problem, and it also got sympathy from those who participated in the debate.”
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In addition, he added, “When the frame of the speculative industry is covered, the image of the industry completely collapses. It is a point of concern that the image of the spearhead of the cultural industry is gradually erected as the game escapes negative perceptions.”
An official from another game developer said, “When the perception that the game industry is a speculative industry begins to be created, this is a good excuse for the introduction of the WHO’s game use disorder disease code in Korea. This can lead to a series of industrial regulations. Probability item controversy. As a starting point, it is time for the politics and the game industry to communicate smoothly without sticking to each other’s positions so that new regulations do not arise.”