Loot Tick, 2023
3D printed PLA plastic, glue, polypropylene webbing, thread, carabiners
Dimensions variable
Loot Tick (2023) is part of a body of work exploring predatory monetization practices within video games, specifically loot boxes, and the ongoing insertion of gambling mechanics into virtual experiences.
The sculpture is a larger-than-life 3D printed replica of a loot box from the popular 2019 video game Apex Legends, a free-to-play battle royale-hero shooter. The loot boxes in Apex Legends are visualised and known as “Loot Ticks” within the game world. Within the game they are a benign form of robotic tick, hidden across a given in-game map and are visualisations of Apex Packs (loot boxes) within the game, purchasable from the in-game store. It is somewhat ironic that Apex Legends has named their loot box after a parasitic arachnid that feeds on the blood of mammals, birds, and sometimes reptiles and amphibians.
The work is produced using a marble filament, referencing ideas of power, wealth and commodity, with occasional use of clear filament to speak about issues regarding the lack of transparency within technology companies and the false promises implied by the gambling industry. The Loot Tick is hung in the middle of the gallery, caught in a custom-made bright orange cargo net, as if the loot box has been captured, ready to be dispatched or punished.
Loot Tick has been included in the following exhibitions:
– Insert Coin. At CABLE DEPOT, London, UK, 1st February – 19th April 2023.
BOB BICKNELL-KNIGHT 