More than 15 lawsuits filed against FIFA 20 in France

Lootboxes have been controversial for years now. They are a great way to monetize your game but can lead some users to very dangerous gambling behaviours. Lately, it's FIFA 20's Ultimate Team mode that has been under fire and most notably in France, where two lawsuits had been filed against it this past month.

According to Parisian lawyer Victor Zagury, FUT can act as a drug: "The more you pay, the more likely you are to obtain valuable players. Buying packs is basically gambling". L'Equipe has reported that some players admit having spent tens of thousands of euros on in-game packs.

Since then, the number of lawsuits has multiplied and 15 FIFA players are now seeking reparation. This week, the French newspaper shared their stories. Among them, here is what a 38 years old business owner had to say about his FUT experience:

"It has been a downward spiral. I started by spending 10€ to try and improve my team. Then I did it again, and again... I always said that it was the last time, but the mode is made in a way that pushes you towards these microtransactions without you really noticing. At one point, I had no social life anymore, it was only FUT. Every night, every weekend... It was like a drug nobody made you aware of".

It is worth noting that Ultimate Team accounted for 30% of EA's revenue for the 2018-2019 fiscal year. However, Electronic Arts doesn't seem to have any problem with that. "Fifa Ultimate Team shows the rates of the packs so you know exactly what you can get in each pack you buy", said the publisher.

The process is underway, so we will keep you updated.