Nintendo has issued a statement regarding the state of Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp and Fire Emblem Heroes in Belgium. The Belgian Gaming Commission spent quite a bit of time in 2018 investigating the legality of loot boxes in games, determining they were considered gambling and illegal. As a result of the situation, Nintendo will be shutting down both of these mobile games in that country and not release games with similar gacha elements in the country. (Thanks, Resetera!)
The Belgium Fire Emblem Heroes and Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp shutdown will take place on August 27, 2019. After that date, people in the country will not be able to download it from official storefronts or play it. However, Nintendo did note that people will be able to participate in gacha elements prior to the shutdown. It noted that Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp‘s Leaf Tickets and Fire Emblem Heroes’ Orbs can be used until the cut-off day.
As a reminder, Leaf Tickets and Orbs are the paid currencies in both of these Nintendo mobile games. However, it is possible to earn them in-game. Leaf Tickets could be used to purchase specific items or the loot box-like Fortune Cookies, which contain random pieces of clothing and furniture. Orbs can be used on banners to summon new heroes.
Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp and Fire Emblem Heroes are available for Android and Apple iOS devices.
Published: May 21, 2019 06:00 am