Valve Defends Loot Boxes, Compares Them to Collectibles

Valve, the company behind the popular Steam platform, has issued its first public response to a lawsuit brought by the New York Attorney General (NYAG) last month. The NYAG accused Valve of promoting illegal gambling through its randomized in-game loot boxes.

In its response, Valve has compared its digital loot boxes to randomized real-world purchases like blind-bagged toys or packs of trading cards. The company stated, "Generations have grown up opening baseball card packs and blind boxes and bags, and then trading and selling the items they receive."

However, Valve's loot boxes differ from these real-world examples in a key way: Valve's Steam Marketplace serves as the only legitimate way to exchange or resell those items. While owners of physical items are free to trade or sell them however they want, Valve has cracked down on many third-party sites that enable the exchange of in-game items.

Valve has argued that its loot boxes are similar to collectibles like Pokemon, Magic the Gathering, and Labubu. However, the NYAG's lawsuit alleges that Valve's control over the resale of in-game items effectively turns loot boxes into a form of illegal gambling.

The outcome of this legal battle could have significant implications for the video game industry and the use of loot boxes in games. As gaming monetization practices continue to evolve, companies like Valve will be closely watched to ensure they are operating within the bounds of the law.

This is a complex issue, and it remains to be seen how the courts will rule on Valve's comparison of its loot boxes to physical collectibles. The debate over the legality and ethics of loot boxes in video games is sure to continue as the industry grapples with balancing monetization and player experience.