There’s a Big Change to ‘Fortnite’ as Epic Games Looks to Dodge Legal Trouble

The worst thing to ever happen to video games is loot boxes and no one who defends them is looking out or your interests. Micropays and having half the game locked behind a $30 DLC on top of the $60 you paid for the game is annoying, but lootboxes are an exceptionally predatory business model; you pay some money for a chance to get the thing you want, and it’s usually a pretty slim chance to get anything good.

You might think that such a set-up is gambling, and some countries, like Belgium, agree with you. Belgium actually made paid loot boxes in video games illegal under gambling laws. With this in mind, the world’s most popular video game, Fortnite, has stopped selling blind loot boxes. Instead, they’re making their premium loot boxes, which are llama pinatas, into “x-ray llamas” that show you their contents before you buy them.

Introducing “X-Ray” Llamas! Previously known as V-Buck Llamas, X-Ray Llamas will now show you the contents before you purchase it. Not interested in what the Llama offers? Simply wait until the daily store refresh and there will be a new selection.

That is some dedicated customer service, giving the players what they want, and I’m sure it is not at all related to the prospect of Epic Games’ CEO ending up in some sort of Belgian gulag.

The best part about this that it only affects Fortnite’s Save the World mode, which is not even the mode people are playing. that’s the battle royale mode, which doesn’t have paid loot boxes to begin with. I also found out that Save the World costs money to play now but will be free to play later this year, after they work out all the bugs and whatnot. It’s basically letting you pay to be a beta tester.

Me, I’m so happy about this change that I’m going to go play until I piss myself.