Twitch streamer Asmongold shared his thoughts after US Senator Ted Cruz agreed with him that more needs to be done to regulate loot boxes and pay-to-win games, especially regarding younger audiences.
The morality of pay-to-win games has been a controversial topic in the streaming community. In particular, over the argument that it could encourage addictions among young players.
Streamer Asmongold has openly criticized games such as Lost Ark and Diablo Immortal for their loot box structures.
Now, Republican politician Ted Cruz has announced he would be up to discuss the matter with the streamer, much to his delight.
Asmongold “excited” about talks with Ted Cruz
On June 21, Asmongold responded to a clip from Cruz’s Verdict podcast with Michael Knowles in which the two discussed pay-to-win games and loot boxes.
Asmongold said: “Never in my life did I imagine a US senator would engage in a conversation with me regarding P2W and loot boxes in video games […] Very excited!”
It comes after the streamer approached Cruz who he believed would be on board with the idea of restricting microtransactions and loot boxes in games with the belief it indoctrinates “kids into gambling.”
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The Twitch streamer has called on fellow MMO players to band together to put a stop to pay-to-win microtransactions in the past.
Never in my life did I imagine a US senator would engage in a conversation with me regarding P2W and lootboxes in video games LOL
Very excited! https://t.co/2g8H5i76p5
— Zack (@Asmongold) June 21, 2022
Cruz subsequently agreed and said he would be “happy to engage in a conversation” with Asmongold. Saying he believes video games are “designed to be addictive,” he admitted to having fallen down the pay-to-win rabbit hole and spent money in-game to progress.
However, he added he was approaching the issue with “a pretty strong libertarian stance” and claimed the US government might not have a “role” in preventing in-game microtransactions.
It’s not certain how far the streamer and Cruz’s discussion over pay-to-win games will go on for. However, Asmongold clearly isn’t going to give up the fight any time soon.