ESRB to label games featuring microtransactions

Following the controversy with loot boxes in full priced games, with Star Wars Battlefront II in particular the debate is ongoing when it comes to trying to regulate and moderate the influx of microtransactions. Now the American counterpart of PEGI, ESRB (Entertainment Software Rating Board), has decided to act on their own by adding a new label to the back of game boxes "In-Game Purchases", much like you'd see an indication of in-app purchases when downloading a game on the AppStore.

In a lengthy post on Twitter they explain how this will work:

"The new In-Game Purchases label will be applied to games with in-game offers to purchase digital goods or premiums with real-world currency, including but not limited to bonus levels, skins, surprise items (such as item packs, loot boxes, mystery awards), music, virtual coins and other forms of in-game currency, subscriptions, season passes and upgrades (e.g., to disable ads)."

This would mean that games without actual loot boxes, but much more gentle forms of microtransactions could qualify for this new label and not just the worst offenders. But at least it does something to help consumers decide on what games to purchase, and which ones to avoid (unless you have no problem with microtransactions, of course).