No Loot Boxes or ‘Pay-for-Power’ Advantages in ‘Anthem’

By Liz Lanier

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – “Anthem” will not include loot boxes or the ability to pay for a gameplay advantage, publisher announced today at their annual EA Play press conference.

While the action role-playing title will include options for players to pay for cosmetic and vanity enhancements for Javelin suits, the message was clear at the conference that there will be “no ability to spend money on player advantage at all.”

The decision to move away from “pay-for-power” advantages comes with a backstory for the publisher, which was highly criticized after revealing the extent of microtransactions in “Star Wars: Battlefront II” last year. Community response to EA’s decision resulted in the publisher backtracking on the extent to which additional paid add-ons would affect the player’s experience in “Battlefront II” and future titles.

EA has made a similar promise for the upcoming “Battlefield V” at the conference held Saturday.

The highly anticipated action title is set for release on Feb. 22, 2019 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC.

EA Play is taking place at the Hollywood Palladium, but those at home can watch it live on Variety
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