New York Attorney General Letitia James sued Valve over loot boxes in games such as Counter-Strike 2, Team Fortress 2, and Dota 2, and Valve responded that it will fight the lawsuit in court.
The lawsuit accuses Valve of promoting illegal gambling and seeks to permanently stop the practice and impose fines. Valve faces a separate new class-action lawsuit over its loot boxes.
Valve defended its loot boxes by comparing them to physical trading card packs and stating items are cosmetic and players are not disadvantaged by not opening them. The company stated players do not need to open mystery boxes to play its games.
Valve argued that the ability to trade or sell digital items on marketplaces is a consumer benefit similar to selling tangible cards. The company stated it opposes the NYAG’s proposal to restrict transferability of digital items.
The NYAG demanded Valve collect additional user data for age verification and to prevent VPN use, according to Valve. Valve called the demands user-hostile and said they raise privacy concerns.
Valve rebutted the NYAG’s claim that video games encourage real-world violence, citing studies that find no link between media and violence. The company highlighted what it described as the beneficial impact of games.
Valve stated it chose to fight the lawsuit rather than settle, believing the court will decide the correct position. The company wrote that it wanted to ensure users are aware of the potential impact in New York and elsewhere.
