Playtesters who recently got access to the beta for the upcoming free-to-play title Skate from EA have shared some information regarding how the game’s loot boxes will work. The controversial loot box system was first unearthed by dataminers last year. The “Swag Bags” were met with some criticism by fans, but playtesters have detailed how they’ll work in-game and it’s riled up even more debates online. EA quickly debunked any “paid loot boxes” being in the game shortly after.
As originally reported by sources close to Insider Gaming, the current way to unlock loot boxes in Skate is by using a currency called Stars, which are unlocked by completing challenges. Previous datamines suggested that players can exchange Stars with Taps, another in-game currency that could be bought with real-world money (though this was later dismissed by the developers). Taps are earned through gameplay by pulling off tricks and increasing your reputation level.
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Loot boxes in Skate are currently priced between 2 and 3 Stars, with the 3 Star loot boxes having rarer items. Each loot box will contain five individual items, though players will be able to see which items are in loot boxes before opening them. However, you’ll only receive one of those five items when you open a loot box. There’s currently no way to determine the chances and percentages of unlocking the items you want.
Additionally, duplicate items will be turned into Hype, another form of currency similar to Apex Legends‘ crafting metals. As it stands, there are a total of 16 loot boxes in Skate with 80 items overall. More loot boxes will likely be added for special events and updates.
Following Insider Gaming’s report, EA posted a video reassuring fans that there will be “no paid loot boxes.” It’s likely that players will then only be able to open loot boxes through earning in-game currency via gameplay.
Skate is a free-to-play title which means EA will have to implement some sort of monetisation for returns. This will probably take the forms of paid season passes and cosmetics, though we’ll know more information closer to the game’s release.
Source: Insider Gaming
