ASA takes down EA game ad over ‘misleading’ loot box messaging

A mobile game advertisement by Electronic Arts has been flagged down by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) for the lack of clear loot box messaging. 

The game in question, Golf Clash, was promoted on various social media channels back in March. Despite featuring a piece of text saying “Includes optional in-game purchases (includes random items)”, the ad was reported by an “academic researcher in game regulation” who argued that the message was insufficient. 

After the ASA requested a response from Electronic Arts (EA), the video game publisher said that the “advertising guidance on advertising in-game purchases” does not currently include any specific requirements when it comes to loot boxes. 

However, there are rules clearly stating that the disclosure must be easily accessible to consumers and simple to spot, which EA believes it has done with the advertisement in question. The loot box message itself was visible on-screen for two seconds at the start of the ad. 

Regardless, the complainant’s challenge was upheld by ASA on the grounds that the presence of in-game purchasing and loot boxes is “material to a consumer’s decision to purchase or download a game, especially for those with specific vulnerabilities”.

ASA believes that the ad in question has breached the Non-broadcast Advertising and Direct & Promotional Marketing (CAP) Code for a number of reasons, including the presentation of the loot box messaging. 

The regulator said that the text appeared in a light grey font and appeared against the backdrop of various in-game footage clips, which in comparison have been brightly coloured – creating more than one colour contrast between the text and the background. 

This, combined with the two-second period in which the loot box message was on screen, led to ASA’s conclusion that the ad “was likely to mislead consumers”. 

As a result, ASA has asked EA to ensure that the ad does not appear again in its current form and that extra due diligence is given to future Golf Clash ads.