A class action lawsuit has been filed against American video game developer Valve Corporation by the law firm Hagens Berman on behalf of consumers across the United States.
The lawsuit alleges that Valve knowingly conducted unlawful gambling through the use of loot boxes in its games, including CS2, Dota 2, and Team Fortress 2. This development comes after the state of New York previously sued the company as part of a prior, separate lawsuit.
Now, this most recent filing seeks to refund those who used the loot box system in Valve games and aims to prevent the developer from using these systems in the future.
Steve Berman, Founder and Managing Partner at the Hagens Berman law firm that filed the suit, stated: “We believe Valve deliberately engineered its gambling platform and profited enormously from it.
“Consumers played these games for entertainment, unaware that Valve had allegedly already stacked the odds against them. We intend to hold Valve accountable and put money back in the pockets of consumers.”
The lawsuit appears to address issues similar to those in the legal case the state of New York filed, which highlighted that the absence of age restrictions can expose children to gambling.
Valve is facing increased legal scrutiny over loot boxes in its games. In response, its gaming title Counter-Strike 2 is expected to adopt a new system in the coming months that replaces traditional loot boxes. Last week, it was announced that the X-ray case-opening system, used in some countries that have banned loot boxes, would soon be rolled out in Germany.
This system shows players the contents of a loot box before purchase. Players can choose not to pay for it, but must open the revealed case before accessing another of the same type. While more transparent, the system still relies on chance for valuable items.
If the New York case goes against Valve, it could spell trouble, as this class action targets the same issues
