After US Senator Ted Cruz agreed with him that more needs to be done to regulate loot boxes and pay-to-win games, especially for younger audiences, Twitch streamer Asmongold shared his thoughts.
In the streaming community, the morality of pay-to-win games has been a contentious issue. In particular, it was criticized for possibly encouraging addiction among young players. Loot box structures have been openly criticized by streamer Asmongold in games like Lost Ark and Diablo Immortal.
To the delight of the streamer, Republican politician Ted Cruz has announced that he will meet with him to discuss the matter. Asmongold responded last June 21st to a clip from Cruz’s Verdict podcast with Michael Knowles, in which the two discussed pay-to-win games and loot boxes.
It comes after the streamer approached Cruz, believing that he would be on board with the idea of banning microtransactions and loot boxes in games because they indoctrinate kids into gambling.
In the past, Asmongold has urged MMO players to band together to put an end to pay-to-win microtransactions. Cruz later agreed, saying he would be “pleased to have a conversation” with Asmongold. He admitted to falling down the pay-to-win rabbit hole and spending money in-game to progress, saying that video games are “designed to be addictive.”
He did say, however, that he was taking a “pretty strong libertarian stance” on the issue and that the US government might not have a “role” in preventing in-game microtransactions.
It’s unclear how long the streamer and Cruz’s debate over pay-to-win games will last. Asmongold shows no signs of giving up the fight anytime soon.
