Loot boxes are a contentious topic, which is why some of the world's major developers and publishers are either cashing in hard now while they can, or getting out ahead of plans to make them illegal. In the case of Psyonix, and its major title, Rocket League, it's ditching loot crates and replacing them with a new Loot Blueprint system, and now we know exactly how it'll work.
Blueprints will entirely replace the loot crate system currently in place with Rocket League, and will act like a window into the randomized reward that you'll receive if and when you purchase it. Each blueprint represents an individual item within the game and though what you're rewarded after a game will be randomized, you'll know exactly what it is you're buying if you decide to go through with it.
Blueprints will retain some of the crate features that are currently present, making some "painted," and others "certified," but you'll be sure what you're getting as soon as you receive it, and not only after you've spent in-game credits or real-world money on opening it.
Any existing crates or keys you have will be converted to blueprints and credits when the change takes place in December. Psyonix will add both blueprints and credits to the game at the same time. Credits will replace keys in the same way that blueprints will replace crates. It's not an ideal system, but it's far more open than we've seen with the game so far and it's encouraging to see a major developer like Epic Games (the parent company of Psyonix) making such a move. Any drive away from gambling mechanics that exploit addictive personalities is a good thing for gaming.
