10 Most Predatory Loot Box & Microtransaction Systems In Video Games

2. Star Wars Battlefront II

Easily the most high-profile of all the games on this list in terms of what it means when a Star Wars product i.e. something designed to be loved by all ages, is predatory, Battlefront 2's loot box controversy is unprecedented.

Not without good reason, DICE designed a system of progression that is almost entirely random. Yes, you can "Get 200 kills" to upgrade a specific weapon, but every other aspect - from taunts to damage boosts, crafting components to currency - is doled out at random.

It's the game's decision to then layer on top constant reminders that the storefront is only a few button presses away (exchanging your real-world cash for in-game credits) that becomes the biggest problem.

You know you'll be grinding for hours and hours at a time (initially 40 per character which has now been reduced), challenging those with a weaker will or more disposable income to buy their way through instead. Taken online where Battlefront shows you which cards other players had equipped (again, another "incentive" to go buy them yourself), the whole thing feels designed to purposefully take advantage of the consumer.

Overall the game is a catastrophic letdown, something that looks exquisite, but whose charms are only skin deep.