Chapter 90
The Gacha Item Regulation Bill.
Honestly, from my perspective, it wasn't an issue that resonated much.
Even without a regulatory bill, we were already disclosing all probabilities from the start.
In fact, I was actively in favor of the Gacha Item Regulatory Bill because we were the only ones in the industry to fully disclose probabilities.
So, with a light heart, I sent an Opinion Collection Document containing my opinion in favor of the Gacha Item Regulatory Bill to the Congressional Aide I had previously sent it to.
One was completely unaware of the storm this action would unleash.
Recently, in internet communities, public opinion in favor of Gacha Item Regulation was noticeably increasing compared to before regression.
The reason was precisely EnsonGT, serving as a *Negative Example*.
Once the gaslighting that Gacha Item Regulation would stifle the growth of Korean game companies and the market was shattered by EnsonGT's counter-example,
the Users' pent-up anger began to erupt.
[Nickname: Anonymous]
[Title: Seriously, did we ask for that much?]
We don't need anything else, just tell us the probabilities for the Probability-based Items we're spending our own money on!
Stop spouting nonsense about it being unavoidable for Game Operation, lol.
Just look at these EnsonGT guys, they disclose all probabilities and operate in a User-friendly way, and they're doing just fine.
Guess they still think Users are total pushovers, lololol.
[Comment List][Sorted by Newest]
-*Real LOL* lolol
-Seriously, why are they *stubbornly* refusing to disclose probabilities?
Reply:Obviously, they can't disclose it because they've been *Probability Manipulating* lol.
-Shameless bastards lolol
-Enson Korea << Even their Subsidiary Company discloses probabilities, but they're just JOATs who refuse to disclose it even if it kills them.
[Nickname: Anonymous]
[Title: These Game Companies always parrot "Self-Regulation, Self-Regulation"]
So what exactly is this Self-Regulation?
Is there anyone besides EnsonGT who actually adheres to Self-Regulation properly?
Except for Reverse Arcadia, everyone else just lumps grades together like SSR 10%, SR 30%, Normal 60%. Who's going to believe that? lolol
If they're annoyed that users are suspicious, then they should provide individual probability notices properly, like Reverse Arcadia.
Who knows if the Overpowered Pick-up Character we want is 0.1% and the rest of the Worthless SSRs are 1%, 3%? lolol
[Comment List][Sorted by Newest]
-Now that you mention it, lolol
-These bastards are truly *deceptive* lolol
-Self-Regulation (pretending to be considerate while ripping people off)
[Nickname: Anonymous]
[Title: The reason why these Game Companies are worse than Casinos or Gambling Dens... *Fact*]
【Offline Casino Probability Statistics Site】
Even Casinos explicitly state that Customers are at a disadvantage compared to the dealer when betting, and they operate that way lol.
But these Game Companies just have no conscience.
Seeing these *Money Game* operators with not even a shred of conscience, even I, who dislikes regulation, wished for some.
If there's a Member of the National Assembly who brings up a Gacha Item Regulatory Bill, I'll definitely support him or her.
[Comment List][Sorted by Newest]
-*Real LOL* lolol
-I support this.
-I heard they're already collecting opinions from Industry Personnel about the Gacha Item Regulatory Bill.
Reply:*Real LOL*? lolol
Reply:Grabs popcorn and waits.
Around the time when public opinions that would have quietly faded Before Regression were boiling over and threatening to erupt,
an email arrived for me.
The Caller was the Congressional Aide to a certain Member of the National Assembly, to whom I had last sent the Opinion Collection Document.
Opened to Check/Confirm, the email was an Invitation to Attend a Pro-Con Debate regarding the Gacha Item Regulatory Bill.
More precisely, it was an email containing a request for me to appear as a Pro-side Panelist for the Gacha Item Regulatory Bill.
Since I had previously sent an Opinion in Favor in the Opinion Collection Document, it seemed they had invited me as a Pro-side Panelist.
It was clearly going to be troublesome no matter how I looked at it, so I was about to refuse, but then I changed my mind.
It seemed like it would be a good opportunity.
Even without this, there were apparently many Industry Professionals gossiping behind my back about EnsonGT being the only one operating in a User-friendly way, so it seemed like a good chance to clear the air.
If I left the rumors circulating behind the scenes unchecked, it was highly likely to become a headache.
Having made up my mind, I immediately checked the Attendance Box and sent a Reply Email to the aide.
Since there was no turning back, all I could do was prepare thoroughly and dominate the debate.
***
And so, time passed, and it was the Day of the Debate.
Dressed neatly, I arrived at the University Auditorium where the debate was to be held.
Preparing for the CC Project and the debate simultaneously meant I was busy enough to need two bodies, but I still managed to finish the preparations somehow.
Though it was only possible because there wasn't much to prepare, given the current situation where Game Companies' lax revenue structure had reached its peak.
Anyway, I stopped thinking and glanced around, and Familiar Faces caught my eye.
There were a certain Member of the National Assembly whom I'd seen on TV a few times, the Proposer of this Gacha Item Regulatory Bill, and a Young Man who appeared to be his aide.
Turning my head, I saw two elderly professors who would be on the pro-side and con-side, and some game industry professionals I'd seen *in passing*.
Finally, there were a couple of Young Men wearing User Representative badges, who seemed to be representing the Pro-side.
They were exactly the Participating Members I had expected.
They seemed to have put together a decent lineup... but I wonder how it will turn out.
I waited, drinking a cup of coffee at a table set up in a corner of the Auditorium, and soon it was the Debate Start Time.
As I took my seat on the Pro-side Panel, I felt the gazes of those on the Con-side Panel turn towards me, as I had been told beforehand.
It was a look that seemed to say, “Why are *you* sitting there?”
Because I was EnsonGT's Representative and a Game Company Director, they must have assumed I'd be on the Opposing Side.
The Game Industry Professionals on the Opposing Side whispered with *Flustered Expressions*.
Taking in their appearance, I then looked to my side.
An Elderly Professor and a Young Man wearing a User Representative armband sat on either side of me.
The Professor, seemingly unconcerned, was looking at his Smartphone through his magnifying glasses, while the Young Man, who appeared to be the User Representative, was nervously muttering to himself while looking at a script.
He probably brought anticipated questions from the opposing side... Because of his focused demeanor, it seemed best not to disturb him.
After a wait of about 5 minutes, the doors of the University Auditorium closed.
*At the same time, the voice of the Moderator holding a microphone came from the front.*
“Ah, ah. *Mic Test*. Can you hear me?”
When everyone answered that they could hear him, the Moderator nodded.
“Alright, then, we will now begin the Gacha Item Regulation Pro-Con Debate.”
*Applause* erupted at the Moderator's Opening Declaration for the debate.
As the *Applause* subsided, the Moderator nodded and continued speaking.
“Today's debate will proceed in a Frame Debate Format. It will be conducted in a One-on-one Q&A style, with each response time limited to 30 seconds.”
*Frame Debate*...
It was called a debate, but in reality, it meant going *One-on-one*, exchanging blows, and crushing the opponent.
“Today's debate will begin with the Pro-side Panelists. First, Kim Jaehyeon, the Member of National Assembly, please make your statement.”
At the Moderator's designation, the Member of the National Assembly nodded, took the microphone, and explained to the Con-side Panelist the reasons for proposing the bill.
And so, the debate began.
The Pro-side focused on the Users' Right to Know, instances of Probability Manipulation, and the harmfulness of Game Companies' Revenue Structures.
Conversely, the Opposing Side argued for the negative side effects that Gacha Item Regulation would inflict on Companies and the legitimacy of Self-Regulation currently in effect.
At first glance, it seemed like a topic where the Pro-side would inevitably have the advantage... but once the debate actually began, the Opposing Side started to gain the upper hand.
This was the result of the Opposing Side's *stubborn* preparation, and the effectiveness of their logic-excluding *Dogfighting-style Debate*.
“Users having the ability to check/confirm the probabilities of probability-based items is a user's natural Right to Know and a game company's duty.”
“In what country in this world is the full disclosure of a Company's Core Trade Secret considered a Consumer's Right and a Company's duty? It's unavoidable, as the Industry Damage will clearly be greater than any Regulatory Effect.”
“Isn't it an *Absurdity* to say it's unavoidable due to Industry Damage? Even Offline Casinos and Gambling Dens disclose all probabilities *Transparently*!”
“A Casino is a Casino, and a game is a game. The circumstances are fundamentally different, and I hope you understand that our Game Industry has established a Policy Organization for Self-Regulation, unprecedented worldwide, and is implementing it.”
The debate, literally a chain of arguments, gradually grew more heated as emotions flared, and
it only paused when the Moderator intervened.
After a 5-minute break, the debate resumed.
The Opposing Side, having apparently heard enough from others, began to direct questions at me, who had been merely observing.
“Then, Director Ji Hojin of EnsonGT? I have one question for you.”
“Go ahead.”
“I understand that the Revenue Structure of Girls Memorial and Reverse Arcadia, both currently in service by EnsonGT, also relies on gacha, or draws. I'd like to hear your reason for siding with the Pro-side.”
After speaking, the Industry Professional grinned and bowed his head slightly to me.
Even if he didn't say it outright, it was clear he held a grudge against me.
The best way to deal with this kind of person was to crush them.
“So, what the Con-side Panelist is saying is that because my game's Revenue Structure is gacha... that is, draws, it's *obvious* I should be on the Opposing Side?”
“Isn't it obvious?”
“Why is it obvious?”
“Well, obviously...”
The Personnel, who were about to answer my question, seemed to have realized something and fell silent with a *Flustered Expression*.
Of course, he couldn't answer.
“We have been implementing the probability disclosure that the Industry is so concerned about for a long time, unlike the majority of *Deceptive Content* that vaguely discloses probabilities under the guise of Self-Regulation, or doesn't even do that.”
“...*Deceptive Content*?”
I again asked the Personnel, who were flustered by the overly direct and strong wording.
“If it's not *Deceptive Content*, then what is it? Consumers pay money, yet they can't know the Winning Probability, and from a Consumer's perspective, they can't even Check/Confirm what the Company is doing with the product. If this isn't *Deceptive Content*, then what is it?”
“Your words are too extreme! *Deceptive Content*, you say? We have Self-Regulation...”
“Self-Regulation?”
When I repeated “Self-Regulation” in a *Mocking Voice*.
the Personnel, as if stung, avoided my gaze and changed their words.
...Even so, expecting Small and Medium-sized Developers to follow EnsonGT's regulatory proposals, when they're a *Cash Cow*...
There it was. The *Go-to Argument*: the Small and Medium-sized Developer Shield.
“Do you happen to know when I joined EnsonGT?”
“No...”
“I joined in 2011, exactly five years ago around this time. Do you know what EnsonGT's reputation was like back then?”
“...”
“It was called a *Funeral Home* where Enson Korea took games to be terminated. It was seen as a *Place of Exile* where Enson Korea employees went for their last stop before retirement.”
“Th-that...”
“In such a place, the game I created was Girls Memorial, and the system I introduced, an Industry First, was the Ceiling and Pity Carry-over. Inmil-ah, a game from a Japanese Large Corporation Developer that competed with us, had no Protective Measures for Users at the time.”
“...”
“I hope you realize what an *Absurdity* is to claim that Small and Medium-sized Developers cannot comply with regulations. *That Is All*.”
Silence enveloped the Auditorium after my statement.
Everyone seemed to be in shock; even though my Speaking Time was over, no one from either the Pro-side or the Opposing Side spoke a word.
*...I think my wording might have been a bit too strong.*
Well, what's done is done, so there's nothing for it.