Animal Crossing: Pocket Army camp is shutting downwards in Belgium due to loot box regulations

Nintendo is shutting down two of their mobile games, including Animate being Crossing: Pocket Camp, in Belgium later this yr and loot box regulations appear to be the culprit.

The company has not specifically stated that the issue is related to loot boxes, choosing to only say that at that place is an 'unclear state of affairs regarding certain in-game revenue models', but the writing is on the wall. Creature Crossing: Pocket Campsite prominently features random take chances paid loot boxes in the form of fortune cookies with exclusive items, a mechanic that is considered alike to gambling by many users.

Here's the official statement from Nintendo of Belgium, translated via Eurogamer:

Due to the current unclear situation in Belgium regarding sure in-game revenue models, we have decided to finish the service for Animate being Crossing: Pocket Camp and Fire Emblem Heroes in Belgium. It will therefore no longer exist possible to play and download the games from Tuesday 27th Baronial 2019.

Players who nonetheless have Orbs and / or Leafage Tickets in their account can continue to use them until the service ends. In addition, future Nintendo games with similar earnings models will no longer be released in Kingdom of belgium.

In regard to exactly what regulations are causing concern from Nintendo, the Belgian Gaming Committee declared last yr that randomized loot boxes in video games can exist considered criminal gambling. Given that the games are oft played past minors, the fines could exist doubled, something that should concern Nintendo in particular.

Yet, nearly every other game with similar mechanics operating in Belgium has chosen a lighter approach of only disabling the paid purchase of loot boxes for users from the state, including Overwatch and FIFA. Nintendo could choose to do the same and just disable paid fortune cookie purchases, while still allowing Leaf Tickets to be purchased for other uses.

Unfortunately, Nintendo is simply shutting downwards the game entirely, including for existing users. This feels similar an extreme response, especially when considering all of the players who already have made meaning paid purchases of Leaf Tickets and volition now lose the power to play the game they spent those Leafage Tickets in.

An important lesson can exist learned here on that note though — anything you buy digitally in a game like Pocket Camp is ultimately temporary and tin can exist taken abroad from you at whatever time, so be careful how much you invest in paid in-app purchases.

Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp and Fire Emblem Heroes will no longer exist available to play starting on August 27th in Kingdom of belgium. Other upcoming games like Mario Kart Tour using similar business concern models are unlikely to launch in the country too.

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