New App Store rules may force Hearthstone to reveal pack opening rates

New rules in the Apple App Store could force Blizzard to reveal the drop rate of cards in Hearthstone packs before players buy them.

The recent controversy surrounding loot boxes and in-game transactions seems to have prompted Apple to decide to review its App Store policy. Regulations Updated to include a provision to include item drop information in in-app purchases with customers.

“Apps with ‘loot boxes’ or systems that give random virtual items to purchase must attach the pick-up rate of each item to the customer prior to the transaction,” the rules read.

It’s not yet clear if this rule includes in-game advertising or just in-app purchases, or if the publisher simply has to publish this information somewhere.

The decision is similar to what the Chinese government did earlier this year. In May, Blizzard announced the drop rates in Hearthstone and Overwatch to comply with a new rule about attaching drop rate information.

The regulations were updated in December, meaning that publishers are required to immediately release information and keep details of this information for government censorship.

The drop rate in Hearthstone in China shows a 20% chance of getting an epic in a pack, and a 5% chance of drawing a legendary card. Each pack contains at least one rare card or better.

Bearing in mind that Hearthstone in China is released by a third party and is usually isolated from all other parts of the world by a firewall, it is possible that the drop rate in China is far from that of other regions. New regulations in the App Store and information requirements may indicate differences, or confirm that rates in China are applied globally.