EA has defended the company’s use of randomised purchases, saying that they aren’t actually loot boxes, but simply “surprise mechanics”.
PCGamesN reports that during an oral evidence session with the UK Parliament’s Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport Committee, EA’s VP of legal and government affairs, Kerry Hopkins, made the statement.
Hopkins not only termed purchases with a random result as “surprise mechanics”, but also likened them to children toys like Kinder Surprise Eggs or Hatchimals.
Hopkins then went on to speak as to the ethics of such purchases when questioned by Scottish National Party MP, Brendan O’Hara.
Source: IGN.com EA Defends Loot Boxes, Calls Them 'Surprise Mechanics'