What is loot in a video game?

In video games, loot is anything you collect as a reward: weapons, armor, potions, crafting materials, currency or cosmetics. You usually get it by defeating enemies, opening chests, finishing quests or completing raids. Which item appears is decided by the game's loot table, a list of possible drops with a chance for each.

Where loot comes from

• Enemy drops. Defeated monsters or bosses leave items behind.
• Chests and containers. Placed in the world, often with better loot in harder places.
• Quest and event rewards. Fixed or chosen rewards for completing tasks.
• Raids and dungeons. Group content with rare, powerful drops.
• Loot boxes. Randomized packs, sometimes bought with real money.

How loot systems work

Most games use rarity tiers such as common, uncommon, rare, epic and legendary, often color-coded. Drop rates control how often each item appears; a legendary item might have a chance of well under 1 percent. Some games add random stats, so two copies of the same sword can differ. Games built around this loop, like Diablo, Borderlands or Destiny, are called looter games or looter shooters.

Group games also need loot rules: free-for-all, round-robin, need-before-greed rolls or personal loot, where each player gets their own drops.

Loot boxes and regulation

Paid loot boxes raised concerns because they resemble gambling. Belgium's gambling regulator declared paid loot boxes illegal in 2018, and several other countries have debated rules, while app stores and some platforms require games to show drop odds.

FAQ

What does "looting" mean in a game?

Looting means collecting items from defeated enemies, chests or the environment.

What are drops in a game?

A drop is an item an enemy or object leaves behind for the player to pick up. "Drop rate" is the chance of that item appearing.

What is the difference between a mob and an NPC?

A mob is usually a hostile creature you fight, often for loot or experience. An NPC is any character the game controls, including friendly shopkeepers and quest givers.

What does farming mean in a game?

Farming means repeating the same content, such as a boss or area, to collect loot, currency or experience.