Call of Duty: Mobile reveals loot box odds

Given the popularity of the recently released Call of Duty: Mobile, one can expect game publishers to add monetization in the form of battle passes, skins, and loot boxes. While there is increasing regulation around loot boxes in countries like the Netherlands, Belgium, and France, many others do not have any laws put in place.

Call of Duty: Mobile

With how addictive loot boxes can get, Google and Apple both require companies that release applications on their digital distribution platforms to follow certain rules. One of them is to disclose the odds of any gambling-related function in an application. In Call of Duty: Mobile, supply drops are the game’s form of loot boxes. However, the game also has a section that shows the odds of receiving certain rarities of items.

Call of Duty: Mobile has its skins and items in three levels. This includes the Green Uncommon, Blue Rare, and Purple Epic tiers. The lowest tier of Uncommon items has a 54.73% chance of dropping, while Rare items are at 44.47% instead. However, the highest tier of Epic is only obtainable 0.8% of the time. While the odds have been released, this may have a reverse psychology effect instead. With the Rare items shown at an almost 50% chance, some fear that players might actually be encouraged to buy the loot boxes.

Loot Box regulation

There is also a different perspective on loot boxes by players in different regions. Most games in Asia are considered pay-to-win, but players are fine with it. However, many have also compared things like trading card games to loot boxes because the cards rewarded are random. While all Pokémon card booster packs contain 6 common, 3 uncommon, and 1 rare, there are no odds attached to the type of rare card. Some rare cards have a value of under a dollar, while others sit in the two to three-digit range. However, the Supply Drops in Call of Duty: Mobile have more of a gambling feel to them.

Many other major console manufacturers like Microsoft, Nintendo, and Sony also revealed they will soon follow suit and require publishers to disclose loot box odds. Game publishers like Activision Blizzard, Bethesda, Electronic Arts, and Ubisoft will be required to comply. This was announced at a United States Federal Trade Commission workshop by ESA Chief Counsel of Tech Policy Michael Warnecke. The update will be released on consoles before the end of 2020. This is also likely the release date of the next generation of consoles.

Top Fortnite players create a Fortnite Professional Players Association

The competitive Fortnite scene continues to develop. Now, players have banded together to create the Fortnite Professional Players Association (FNPPA). The idea of an association to represent players had bounced around for a while, and now it’s really happening. The FNPPA should provide players a strong and unified voice when communicating with Epic Games. Ultimately, this helps professional players stand together and push for changes that will benefit the competitive game. Other esports, such as Counter-Strike and League of Legends, have players associations. Fortnite is the latest esport to join the trend and unify professional players. Currently, two regions are represented in the FNPPA, but the statement implies more players will join shortly.

What does this mean for Fortnite?

One of the biggest motivators to start an association was the lack of communication between Epic Games and players. Epic Games appears to ignore the competitive players’ suggestions for multiple updates at a time. Then Epic will occasionally throw competitive players a bone with a positive update. Overall, the game appears to cater to the large casual audience. The FNPPA should provide professional players a platform to speak as a group.

The top players have called for changes to competitive Fortnite multiple times. First, players asked for vehicles, specifically Ballers, to be removed. Then calls for separate loot pools began. Ultimately, the game remains the same for both competitive and casual players. Epic Games looks to keep the game the same between different game modes, but it hurts the competitive integrity of Fortnite. A perfect example was the addition of B.R.U.T.E. mechs in tournaments. The mechs had no purpose to be in tournaments. Unfortunately, Epic Games has a commitment to include all players, regardless of skill. They want to level the playing field for everyone.

Realistically, the best players will always dominate. Regardless of what Epic Games chooses to put into the game, a skill gap will remain. This association should provide a means for players to communicate with the developer in an organized and professional way.

ESAM voted into Smash Ultimate Summit 2

Eric “ESAM” Lew is today the final vote-in to make it into Smash Ultimate Summit 2. ESAM earned enough votes to overcome his final opponents: Stephen “Sandstorm” Myers, Omar “Ozone” Qadah, and William “Glutonny” Belaid.

ESAM’s Smash Ultimate Summit 2 campaign included a lengthy list of voter incentives. Among these were giving away T-shirts, playing sets against his contributors, and analyzing his contributors’ own sets. ESAM even sported a variety of wigs during his Summit campaign livestreams.

https://t.co/ffMPyXkqq7 ESAM is ready to playhttps://t.co/Z2vpGnH6x2 for more summit incentives!! pic.twitter.com/BJCG2eYMDU

— SpookESAM (Panda Global) (@PG_ESAM) September 28, 2019

Smash Ultimate Summit 2 will take place Oct. 24 – 27. It will take place in the Summit Gaming House in Los Angeles, California. This will be Beyond the Summit’s second event for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. In addition, it will be the organization’s tenth event for Super Smash Bros. overall.

ESAM will attend Smash Ultimate Summit 2

After debuting at No. 16 on the Spring 2019 PGRU, ESAM’s results have only continued to improve in Smash Ultimate. Notably, ESAM’s confirmation for Smash Ultimate Summit comes shortly after his 1st place finish at Glitch 7 – Minus World. There, he defeated David “LeoN” Leon, Nairoby “Nairo” Quezada, Gavin “Tweek” Dempsey, and Paris “Light” Ramirez.

Though Glitch 7 was a definite highlight, ESAM has had impressive results throughout this season. His solid placings include 9th place finishes at both Shine 2019 and Super Smash Con 2019. Interestingly, this upcoming Summit will be ESAM’s second appearance at a Super Smash Bros. Summit. He previously competed in Melee at Smash Summit 2.

Thirteen players have now been confirmed for Smash Ultimate Summit 2: Leonardo “MkLeo” Perez, Tweek, Nairo, Tyler “Marss” Martins, Light, James “VoiD” Makekau-Tyson, Takuma “Tea” Hirooka, Antony “MuteAce” Hoo, William “Leffen” Hjelte, Randy “RFang” Fang, Adam “Armada” Lindgren, Ezra Samsora Morris, and ESAM.

Three more slots remain following ESAM’s inclusion in this Super Smash Bros. Ultimate invitational. Two players will earn their place at Summit this weekend at The Big House 9. Nightmare on Smashville will act as the last-chance qualifier event later this month.