Hutch Games responds to Advertising Standards Authority loot box complaint

05.10.2023 - 13:07 / eurogamer.net

Mobile developer Hutch Games has corrected store listings for two of its free-to-play games following complaints filed with the UK Advertising Standards Authority, and described its omission of explicit disclosure of loot boxes a «mistake».

The complaints were made by researcher Leon Y. Xiao, who has conducted studies on the effectiveness of Belgium's loot box ban and the consistency of loot box warnings on games.

Xiao filed complaints regarding Hutch Games for Rebel Racing on the Google Play Store and F1 Clash — Car Racing Manager on the Apple App Store, and said that both games failed to mention the presence of loot boxes. Current ASA guidance states advertising must make it clear if loot boxes exist in a game, with a notification on store pages at a minimum.

The ASA upheld Xiao's complaints following discussions with Hutch Games. Hutch Games «understood that they had misinterpreted» the guidance, the ASA wrote in its rulings, and the company has since updated its game listings to disclose the presence of loot boxes.

«We acknowledge that a mistake was made on our store page listing for our games Rebel Racing on the Google Play Store and F1 Clash on the Apple App Store,» Hutch Games said in a statement provided to Eurogamer. «We have immediately corrected this mistake. We are ensuring that all future listings contain the correct information going forward.»

Hutch has admitted that it had misinterpreted the regulations and admitted to being wrong. I am pleased to report that, as of 2 October 2023, both store listings now disclose loot box presence.

However, the disclosures are not prominent, but that is for the stores to fix pronto. pic.twitter.com/Ys9Z7wh5rg

The developer expanded on its implementation of loot boxes, stating they are «one of the ways we earn money through our F2P games at Hutch, but they are not mandatory for players to enjoy our titles». «We are committed to transparency, providing information on drop rates and pricing,» it added. «We also work with regulators and follow industry guidance. The recent ASA ruling highlighted areas for improvement, which we have already addressed. We'll use this experience to enhance our future and existing titles.»

Xiao has said his complaints are something of a warning for the industry. The ASA is a self-regulatory organisation for the advertising industry, and he claimed «other video game companies that are represented on the loot box industry self-regulation working group are, at present, in breach of advertising regulations». «I will make a further batch of complaints in 2024 if the non-compliance is not fixed by then,» he warned.

I know that other video game companies that are represented on the loot box industry self-regulation working group