I don't know if I can open up, I've been opened enough (part I)

Well, this was unexpected:

Due to a changing regulatory climate, we've had to make the difficult decision to sunset a very popular sales mechanism for content in Second Life. It's widely known as "gacha", and is defined by a chance-based outcome as a result of a payment.

We know that creators plan their content releases far in advance and will need to re-tool their products, so to mitigate the impact to those affected, we are giving a 30-day grace period, until midnight SLT on August 31. After that time, selling content via gacha machines will no longer be permitted in Second Life. Enforcement won’t start until September 1; after that date an Abuse Report for "Gaming Policy Violation" will be the preferred method of reporting this content to Linden Lab.

We will continue to allow any sales where a payment is given for a known item, which means that items that had been purchased as "gacha" will be allowed to be re-sold as long as the buyer knows in advance the item and quantity they will receive. We will, of course, still allow fatpacks, and any other currently-allowed distribution mechanisms.

We did not make this decision lightly and we understand that it will impact creators as well as event organizers and certainly the shoppers! We look forward to fun creative ways of engagement that will come instead.

We realize that this announcement may leave the community with questions. This forum thread is going to be monitored and we will answer any related questions in there.

I'll just bet that thread's going to be monitored.

So, people are already screaming over this...This was the first reaction I saw:

[10:36] Mxxx Bxxxx: So.... Gachas are against TOS now... https://community.secondlife.com/blogs/entry/8586-policy-change-regarding-gacha/
[10:37] sxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: o.0
[10:37] xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: ????????
[10:37] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Wait, what?

Because that was the first thing I saw, so I clicked the link.

[10:37] Txxxxx Wxxxxx: yup just read that
[10:37] pxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: lol
[10:37] Mxxx Bxxxx: "we are giving a 30-day grace period, until midnight SLT on August 31. After that time, selling content via gacha machines will no longer be permitted in Second Life"
[10:37] Jxxxx Hxxxxxxx: Tbh its not surprising, it's essentially unregulated gambling
[10:37] Sxxxxxxxxx Lxxxxx: Yeah

And it always has been, it just slid under the wire as the players got something, always. Maybe not the rare, maybe not uncommons, but it was one flat price for all items. The gambling aspect, I'd assume the EU saw as similar to lootboxes in video games--without clear knowledge of what one is paying for, one is essentially 'gambling' to get something desired, and is thus incentivized to buy more to get the main object of desire. Hence, gambling addiction, hence, what the EU is striving to prevent.

[10:37] xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: damn
[10:37] Sxxxxxxxxx Lxxxxx: You can still sell individual items on mp
[10:37] xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: no gacha nomore
[10:38] nxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Where is the Las Vegas of SL??!!

Oh, that went away a LONG time ago, when actual gambling parlors existed on the grid. Now all that's left of that end of things are 'skill-based games' like Zyngo, No Devil, and 'tournament' rounds.

[10:38] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Wow. That's huge.
[10:38] Cxxxxxxxx Mxxxxxxxx: [F**K] YES!
[10:38] uxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: WAIT WHAT ?!?!!?

And that's been, overall, the main two reactions: "Oh, thank the GODS" and "NOOOO WHYYYY".

[10:38] LxxxDxxxx Mxxxxxx: guess the feds should outlaw those toy quarter machines in grocery stores too
[10:38] Cxxxxx Cxxxxxx: to be honest, that's nothing i will miss
[10:38] uxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: NO MORE GACHAS EVER?!?!

Ms. P seems very upset, but that's the decision, yes. Unless the EU reverses their decision on gachas being gambling, and...I don't see them doing that.

[10:38] Mxxx Bxxxx: I wonder what will happen to gachas by creators that arent around to update it anymore
[10:38] yxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: nope
[10:38] Cxxxxxxx Mxxxxxxx: [Mxxx] that is all gachas?
[10:38] uxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I LIVE FOR GACHAS!!
[10:38] Sxxxxxxxxx Lxxxxx: They can be sold as fatpacks
[10:38] Cxxxxxxxx Mxxxxxxxx: Cheers and starts to throw a party!
[10:38] Mxxx Bxxxx: Yes, but i imagine, already-won items from gachas can still be sold
[10:38] uxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: =[
[10:38] Mxxx Bxxxx: The creators will have to sell them as normal items
[10:38] Mxxx Bxxxx: or remove them
[10:38] LxxxDxxxx Mxxxxxx: they cant sell them in gacha machines...those that we have can be sold as known items

I imagine there will be sales on Marketplace of gacha items, for a bit--as that's always been known item, specific price, for the most part. What is going to have to stop is 'random pull' listings, where you pay the fee and get sent a "random" item from their gacha.

[10:39] Bxxxxxxxx Cxxxxxxxx: so now we done geet to have fun cries
[10:39] uxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: OMMMGG
[10:39] Sxxxxxxxxx Lxxxxx: Yes they can [Mxxx]
[10:39] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): They'll be penalized if the machines are still out, it sounds
[10:39] Bxxxxxx Dxxx: you throw away to much lindens messing with gachas,,
[10:39] uxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: NOOOO!!!
[10:39] Cxxxxxxxx Mxxxxxxxx: as long as the person knows what they are getting
[10:39] Cxxxxxxxx Mxxxxxxxx: No more rando BS
[10:39] Lxxxxx Yxxxxxxxx: THose Gacha events like arcade and epiphany will be.. hurting lol
[10:39] Txxxxx Wxxxxx: will be dead

Pretty much. Arcade, the Epiphany, Gacha Garden, the lot of them....after September 1st, all gone, unless they convert to another type of event.

[10:39] axxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I dont do gacha stuff anymore personally... too much money wasted
[10:39] Sxxxxxxxxx Lxxxxx: Gacha Garden just opened too

I know. The organizers must be tearing their hair out.

[10:39] Cxxxxxxxx Mxxxxxxxx: yelp
[10:39] Mxxx Bxxxx): F
[10:39] Cxxxxxxxx Mxxxxxxxx: they get to close
[10:39] Sxxxxxxxxx Lxxxxx: Was going to head there, not worth it now

Oh, I still plan to head there. Why not support the gacha designers we can, as long as they're running? They won't be past the end of the month.

[10:39] Txxxxx Wxxxxx: F

Very F, yes.

[10:39] Bxxxxxxxx Cxxxxxxxx: yeah and the resale of said gachas is ?
[10:39] Cxxxxxxxx Mxxxxxxxx: ok

Perfectly allowable. One item vended, one item paid for. Fatpacks, said the announcement, are perfectly allowable. Just random items sold randomly are not.

[10:40] Dxxxxxxx Gxxxxxx: if creators are allowed to sell gatcha items then Rares are worthless

That entirely depends. How many makers are going to just not sell their rares? Thus, anyone with them will have a VERY limited edition item.

[10:40] Sxxxxxxxxx Lxxxxx: resale is allowed still
[10:40] rxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Yaaaaaaay ! no more Gacha!
[10:40] LxxxDxxxx Mxxxxxx: collecting sets helps appease my anxiety and has kept me sane these past 2 years
[10:40] Cxxxxxxxx Mxxxxxxxx: as long as the person knows what they are going
[10:40] rxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: That's he best news I ever heard
[10:40] Cxxxxxxxx Mxxxxxxxx: to get
[10:40] Txxxxx Wxxxxx: Reselling market is going to hurt of course
[10:40] Sxxxxxxxxx Lxxxxx: Better go spend my Epiphany points

Yeah. Any event that relies on built-up points for specialty pulls? That mechanic is going away too.

[10:40] Cxxxxxxxx Mxxxxxxxx: We will continue to allow any sales where a payment is given for a known item, which means that items that had been purchased as "gacha" will be allowed to be re-sold as long as the buyer knows in advance the item and quantity they will receive. We will, of course, still allow fatpacks, and any other currently-allowed distribution mechanisms.
[10:40] rxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: They should have banned that stuff years ago
[10:40] Cxxxxxxxx Mxxxxxxxx: yes
[10:40] Kxxx Sxxxx: Next will be lucky chairs. Those chance letters.

Have you ever seen a Lucky Chair/board/whatever that didn't have a picture of what was on offer? I've come across three that I can remember. Didn't sit in any of them. So those will likely have to be corrected, but as it stands, Lucky boards, Midnight Mania boards, and all of similar ilk will still be legal.

[10:41] LxxxDxxxx Mxxxxxx: thats your opinion [Rxxxxxx]
[10:41] Txxxxx Wxxxxx: Imagine if this was real world the unemployment that this would cause
[10:41] Txxxxx Wxxxxx: haha

Yeah, but this at least is a constant in all worlds. Coal came along; gas sellers had to upgrade. Nuclear and hydro power plants were built, coal miners saw a lot of the mines close down. Markets change. It's the way of things.

[10:41] Cxxxxxxxx Mxxxxxxxx: We know that creators plan their content releases far in advance and will need to re-tool their products, so to mitigate the impact to those affected, we are giving a 30-day grace period, until midnight SLT on August 31. After that time, selling content via gacha machines will no longer be permitted in Second Life. Enforcement won’t start until September 1; after that date an Abuse Report for "Gaming Policy Violation" will be the preferred method of reporting this content to Linden Lab.
[10:41] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Actually, reselling market is going to do just fine--there are very few people actually using gacha mechanics on MP
[10:41] LxxxDxxxx Mxxxxxx: others enjoyed them
[10:41] Mxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: GUYS!
[10:41] Txxxx Kxxxxxxx: you don't pay for Lucky chairs...
[10:41] Fxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I happen to like gachas and think they are fun

A lot of people do. A lot of people hate them. Opinion is most definitely mixed.

And thus ends the first part. Part two (of part one) to come!