8 Video Games That Changed The World

1. UEFA Champion's League 2006-07 - The Rebirth Of Loot Boxes & Gacha Mechanics

The current state of loot boxes, paid DLC, gacha and "surprise" mechanics in games is very much out of control, but how did we get here?

While the first game to include lootboxes at ALL was 2007's ZT Online, this free to play Chinese release didn't showcase the value of the mechanic anywhere near as much in pop culture as UEFA Champion's League 2006-07.

The first of EA's football games helmed by greedy businessman Andrew Wilson, the UEFA titles were essentially testbeds for mechanics that could then be rolled out into the likes of FIFA and EA's other titles.

It's here where the card pack-based version of Ultimate Team was born, and with many reviews at the time championing the mechanic and comparing it to collecting cards or football stickers in real life, it was off to the races for loot boxes and loot box mechanics.

Since this first UEFA release, every one of EA's titles has included some sort of additional spending method, with FIFA and Battlefront 2 being some of the most controversial. Even Mass Effect 3's multiplayer had loot boxes for its multiplayer, much to the dismay of literally everyone.

Obviously Team Fortress 2 and Overwatch made these mechanics more appealing with colourful aesthetics and appealing animations, but we wouldn't have any of it in the West whatsoever, without Andrew Wilson rolling loot mechanics out in UEFA Champion's League.