Valve sued again over loot boxes in Counter-Strike, Dota 2
Valve faces a new class-action lawsuit in Washington state alleging its loot boxes constitute unlawful gambling.Summary
Valve is being sued again, this time in a class-action lawsuit filed in Washington state by Hagens Berman, over the inclusion of loot boxes in games like Counter-Strike 2, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Dota 2, and Team Fortress 2. The lawsuit accuses Valve of “knowingly operating unlawful gambling” through its loot box system, mirroring a similar suit brought by New York’s attorney general Letitia James. Hagens Berman argues that Valve intentionally designed the system to mimic casino experiences, utilizing psychological triggers to encourage spending and profiting from both key sales and resale markets like the Steam Community Market. The complaint further alleges that Valve was aware of children participating in these transactions and failed to implement safeguards like age verification or parental consent. Steve Berman, founder of Hagens Berman, stated their intention to hold Valve accountable and return funds to consumers. Valve has not yet issued a public comment on either lawsuit.
(Source：Polygon)