Rocket League is ditching its paid, randomised loot boxes later this year Eurogamer.net If you click on a link and make a purchase we may receive a small commission. Read our editorial policy. Rocket League is ditching its paid, randomised loot boxes later this year Will adopt model similar to Fortnite Save the World. News by Matt Wales Reporter Updated on 7 Aug 2019 46 comments Psyonix will be jettisoning paid, randomised loot boxes - or Crates, as it calls them - from its hugely popular four-wheeled football game Rocket League later this year. Crates, which are tradable, were first introduced to Rocket League in 2016 ("to fund our eSports prize pools and events", claimed Psyonix at the time). They can be acquired by completing online matches, and award a single, random cosmetic item from a set of possible options - including vehicle bodies, decals, rocket boosts, goal explosions, trails, and wheels. However, to open one and claim its contents, players first require a key. Keys are predominantly a purchasable premium item, although a number have, to date, been included as intermittent tier rewards in Rocket League's paid Rocket Pass. The functionally similar Decryptors (which open crates but prevent item trading) also feature in small quantities as free Rocket Pass rewards, and have appeared during special events. That will change later this year though, according to a new statement on the Rocket League website. Psyonix says it will soon be removing all paid, randomised Crates from Rocket League and adopting a system similar to that recently implemented by Epic Games (which acquired Psyonix earlier this year) in Fortnite Save the World. The new monetisation scheme will enable players to see "the exact items [they're] buying in advance". Psyonix notes, however, that there will be no changes to its Rocket Pass Premium, DLC Cars, and Esports Shop, all of which will continue to be available for direct purchase. While Psyonix insists that both it and Epic have made the decision to phase out Crates as part of a desire to create "the best possible experience for our players", the moves comes at a time when loot boxes are being subjected to increased scrutiny by governments across the globe. Last year, Belgium and the Netherlands declared loot boxes to be a form of gambling and therefore illegal - a move which has forced publishers to disable the monetisation method in a number of high-profile games, including FIFA, Overwatch, and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. Then, in May this year, a US Senator proposed legislation to ban loot boxes, pay-to-win mechanics, and other "manipulative design". And while the UK government has remained steadfast in its assertion that loot boxes aren't gambling, it did at least manage to draw some truly astonishing responses from EA and Epic during a related parliamentary committee earlier this year. Most memorably, EA's vice president of legal and government affairs, Kerry Hopkins, asserted that EA "don't call them loot boxes - we call them surprise mechanics." Become a Eurogamer subscriber and get your first month for £1 Get your first month for £1 (normally £3.99) when you buy a Standard Eurogamer subscription. Enjoy ad-free browsing, merch discounts, our monthly letter from the editor, and show your support with a supporter-exclusive comment flair! Support us View supporter archive More News Splatoon 3 Amiibos will be out next month Ink-coming! 3 Fans think Phil Spencer's shelf is teasing the Xbox Game Pass streaming box UPDATE: Xbox confirms old Keystone prototype. 61 Modder dives into Demon's Souls files following PS5 jailbreak, discovers fabled Ring of the Chieftain Who knows what's nexus? 4 Google announces cloud gaming Chromebooks less than a fortnight after Stadia shutdown GeForce Now preinstalled. 11 Latest Articles Digital Foundry Sennheiser's legendary HD 599 open-back headphones are just £70 at Amazon in the Prime Early Access Sale Comfortable with neutral sound and a wide sound stage. Preview Football Manager's new Console edition is the best you'll get without a PC Getting Touch-right. 1 Splatoon 3 Amiibos will be out next month Ink-coming! 3 Fans think Phil Spencer's shelf is teasing the Xbox Game Pass streaming box UPDATE: Xbox confirms old Keystone prototype. 61 Supporters Only Premium only Off Topic: Take a minute to appreciate Cookin' with Coolio's incredible scallops recipe. What a great book. Premium only Off Topic: Reading City of Glass in comic form "Where exactly am I going?" Premium only Off Topic: Il Buco is a transporting film about a really big hole Underlands. Off-Topic Netflix handled Sandman brilliantly It was Dreamy. 9 Buy things with globes on them And other lovely Eurogamer merch in our official store! Explore our store