In video games, a loot box, also called a loot crate or prize crate, is a consumable virtual item that can be redeemed for a randomized selection of further virtual items, ranging from cosmetic character customization to game-changing equipment such as weapons or armor. It is a business model in which players either buy loot boxes directly or receive them during play and later buy keys to open them, and the mechanic is considered similar to the gacha systems popular in Japan. Loot boxes grew out of loot systems in massively multiplayer online role-playing games and the monetization of free-to-play mobile games, first appearing between 2004 and 2007 before spreading widely across free-to-play titles.
Facts
Core MechanismA consumable virtual item, bought with real or in-game currency or earned during play, that is redeemed for a randomized selection of further virtual items, used by developers and publishers as an ongoing monetization mechanic. 1 Connections
Associated With
Loot boxes, purchasable virtual items with randomized contents, are a monetization mechanic used predominantly within free-to-play video games.
Sources
1. Wikipedia, Loot Box
WikipediaHistory section, MapleStory gachapon ticket 2004
The first known instance of a loot-box system is an item called "gachapon ticket", introduced in June 2004 in the Japanese version of MapleStory.
Opening definition paragraph
a loot box (also called a loot crate or prize crate) is a consumable virtual item which can be redeemed to receive a randomised selection of further virtual items, or loot, ranging from cosmetic customisation options for a player's avatar or character to game-changing equipment such as weapons and armour.
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