Loot boxes are more prevalent in United Kingdom video games than previously considered: Updating Zendle et al. (2020)

Abstract

Paid loot boxes are now more commonly implemented in the highest-grossing UK iPhone games (which is reflective of other Western markets) than reported by Zendle et al. (2020). This is due to multiple reasons: games with loot boxes becoming more popular; some popular games subsequently introducing loot boxes; methodological factors around loot box identification; and semantic ambiguities around what constitutes a ‘loot box.’ Policymakers and researchers should proceed on that updated basis.