Valve Disables CS:GO Lootboxes in Belgium & Netherlands

[Raevenlord]

Following Valve's decision to disable trading in the Netherlands due to that country's legal statutes regarding gambling, the company is now taking other steps to comply with the country's Dutch Gaming Authority. Players in the Netherlands and Belgium "will be restricted from opening containers" following this week's patch, according to the patch notes. This will prevent players in those countries from even opening the lootboxes. As the "Miscellaneous" section of the patch notes reads:

• Updated Steam and CS:GO account restrictions for users in Netherlands and Belgium:
• Steam Trading and Steam Market features are now re-enabled for Steam accounts in Netherlands.
• Customers in Netherlands and Belgium will be restricted from opening containers.

Of course, with restrictions for lootbox exploration for these players, Valve has to enable market trading again, as a way for these players to be able to sell their accumulated marketplace items, but especially the additional lootboxes they'll earn from playing - and not be able to open. It remains to be seen whether this will be the final solution for the lootbox problem in these countries, and if any others will follow suit. There's also the question of whether these players are even playing the same game as others around the world - they now have very limited access to some fundamental features of the game.

View at TechPowerUp Main Site

 

[oxidized]

I wish they never even put them in the game at all. Hopefully more and more countries will force the ban.

 

[TheLostSwede]

I wish they never even put them in the game at all. Hopefully more and more countries will force the ban.

But, but, what are the game companies going to do for reoccurring income then?

 

[oxidized]

But, but, what are the game companies going to do then for reoccurring income?

Stop being fkn greedy and deal with it i suppose.

 

[TheLostSwede]

Stop being fkn greedy and deal with it i suppose.

Well, consider that game prices haven't really gone up over the past, well, very many years. This is an eight year old article and things haven't really changed much since then https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2010/10/an-inconvenient-truth-game-prices-have-come-down-with-time/

I'm not saying I like loot boxes or cosmetic crap in games, but I'd rather have that "optional crap" in games than pay to win or $50 DLC's.

You say they're greedy and that might apply to some (like EA and Valve), but what about smaller developers? I'm really having mixed thoughts on this, but there has to be a nice middle road that allows game developers to make money over time on their games as well. There have been far too many great developers going titsup because it took them too long to get their next game to market.

 

[oxidized]

Well, consider that game prices haven't really gone up over the past, well, very many years. This is an eight year old article and things haven't really changed much since then https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2010/10/an-inconvenient-truth-game-prices-have-come-down-with-time/

I'm not saying I like loot boxes or cosmetic crap in games, but I'd rather have that "optional crap" in games than pay to win or $50 DLC's.

That i'd prefer too, but everyone need to do that fortunately, because they might just settle with the actual cost of the game, besides valve could really charge more for their games instead of crapping in them with such stuff, i mean, i don't know if you like CSGO by any chance, i don't love it, but i play sometimes, i remember i bought it before launch, and paid is something like 15€, or around that, do you think i wouldn't have bought it if was like 30 or 40€? I would've, and with me probably almost everyone, now it would've been a 20/30€ game, since it's been out for years, but no, it's like 5/6€ if you get the cdkey, this only attracts cheaters and traders, and both ruin the community.
I'm an old school gamer, i'd prefer to pay double a game at launch than buy stuff later, that might be useless, or completely pointless.

You say they're greedy and that might apply to some (like EA and Valve), but what about smaller developers? I'm really having mixed thoughts on this, but there has to be a nice middle road that allows game developers to make money over time on their games as well. There have been far too many great developers going titsup because it took them too long to get their next game to market.

I don't know i just think it's not a "healthy" idea to go on with microtransactions whether you're a huge or a tiny dev, it's just sounds almost like a scam to me.

 

[ZoneDymo]

Well, consider that game prices haven't really gone up over the past, well, very many years. This is an eight year old article and things haven't really changed much since then https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2010/10/an-inconvenient-truth-game-prices-have-come-down-with-time/

I'm not saying I like loot boxes or cosmetic crap in games, but I'd rather have that "optional crap" in games than pay to win or $50 DLC's.

You say they're greedy and that might apply to some (like EA and Valve), but what about smaller developers? I'm really having mixed thoughts on this, but there has to be a nice middle road that allows game developers to make money over time on their games as well. There have been far too many great developers going titsup because it took them too long to get their next game to market.

Ultimately its up to the consumer to decide how much they are willing to pay for something, if gaming gets too expensive, well then people just stop doing it.

 

[Prima.Vera]

Way to go Benelux!

 

[TheLostSwede]

Way to go Benelux!

It wasn't banned in Luxembourg...

 

[oxidized]

Ultimately its up to the consumer to decide how much they are willing to pay for something, if gaming gets too expensive, well then people just stop doing it.

But many of these people don't realize when to stop, and keep in mind that most of these are kids, 12 to 16 years old

 

[peche]

But many of these people don't realize when to stop, and keep in mind that most of these are kids, 12 to 16 years old

also trading is used by scammer and tief, i have seen in some CS:GO forums topics about this, and the same problem, people trusting almost everyone, saving money making transfers outside steam market just to save money, cuz stem market does charge a bit for the sell / buy option, like a fee for using the market, value and credit, is a crap,

Regards,

 

[Basard]

also trading is used by scammer and tief, i have seen in some CS:GO forums topics about this, and the same problem, people trusting almost everyone, saving money making transfers outside steam market just to save money, cuz stem market does charge a bit for the sell / buy option, like a fee for using the market, value and credit, is a crap,

Regards,

Is there a difference between these loot boxes and the ones in Rocket League? Just curious what the big deal is.

 

[dinmaster]

Honestly. In game boxes are slowing new games down. In one hand we get updates and extra stuff in a game and it's developed or kept in development for longer periods and on the other hand we don't get a next game in the series for long periods of time. Gta5 is a good example long term but no new game in series for years. A bad one is the whole cod series. It's fast turn around with loot boxes plain cash grab.

If the developer can run one game for years with boxes then I'm ok with it but not short turn arounds.

 

[Upgrayedd]

Is there a difference between these loot boxes and the ones in Rocket League? Just curious what the big deal is.

Rocket League items are not on the Steam market and cannot be sold or traded through Steam.

But, but, what are the game companies going to do for reoccurring income then?

Games with these loot boxes have record setting profits...I think they will be just fine..

 

[Readlight]

Inaf whit cs its history, it was interesting 10 years before in internet cafe whit real people.

 

[Vayra86]

Well, consider that game prices haven't really gone up over the past, well, very many years. This is an eight year old article and things haven't really changed much since then https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2010/10/an-inconvenient-truth-game-prices-have-come-down-with-time/

I'm not saying I like loot boxes or cosmetic crap in games, but I'd rather have that "optional crap" in games than pay to win or $50 DLC's.

You say they're greedy and that might apply to some (like EA and Valve), but what about smaller developers? I'm really having mixed thoughts on this, but there has to be a nice middle road that allows game developers to make money over time on their games as well. There have been far too many great developers going titsup because it took them too long to get their next game to market.

Smaller devs create projects with a different scope, they focus on *gameplay* and *mechanics* because that is just a bit of smart coding and thinking, which doesn't cost a whole lot except talent and intelligence and above all: TIME. We all have equal amounts of time. Time doesn't cost additional money. So a smaller dev is more likely to focus on making a fun, good, interesting game rich in (re-)play value instead of focusing on the fluff surrounding that like graphics, lots of cutscenes and voice acting by Hollywood stars.

This whole argument of gaming and cost is one big farce. On one hand we have tons of indies and even solo devs proving the opposite and on the other we have idiots who believe everything the fat bloated publishers put in an interview or press release. Yes, overly bloated game franchises are costly to produce. And yes, they are the least interesting games you can buy. Its not a question of budgets, its a question of recognizing what gaming is about.

Good example: I'm playing this right now, you can get it on Steam for 23 EUR. Its more fun than a city builder like ANNO, I can tell right from the start it has more replay value and hours in it than many triple A alternatives. It proves all a decent game really needs is an interesting concept, a good idea, and a decent execution of it. That is not any more difficult today than it was in the 90's...

http://www.numantiangames.com/theyarebillions/

Ontopic about these lootboxes... I can only hope they will be consistent with this and put the same restriction on everything that falls under the same criteria. This real money RNG needs to die fast, it doesn't improve gaming or its community.

 

[FYFI13]

But, but, what are the game companies going to do for reoccurring income then?

Release game expansions, ad more game content, if needed make use of monthly subscriptions to keep servers running. F*** loot boxes.

 

[Mescalamba]

Release game expansions, ad more game content, if needed make use of monthly subscriptions to keep servers running. F*** loot boxes.

CDPR made card game.

Usually what helps is making good quality games. Somehow it works. Even with support of fans, Divinity series is nice example.

Also some games (HOTS) used to sell cosmetics simply directly, no gambling.

 

[lexluthermiester]

I wish they never even put them in the game at all. Hopefully more and more countries will force the ban.

Agreed. The US and UK should join the fray.

 

[oxidized]

Agreed. The US and UK should join the fray.

Just everyone is better, it'd be a dream coming true.

 

[Solaris17]

But, but, what are the game companies going to do for reoccurring income then?

Sell the products individually on an in game market instead of leaving it upto chance like gambling?

 

[peche]

Is there a difference between these loot boxes and the ones in Rocket League? Just curious what the big deal is.

loot boxes are the regular ones or older ones, the ones from rocket league are new to me, sorry cuz i have like 9 months offline on CSGO, F1 2015 and FarCry 2 are my main games now, i just enter CSGO for some Deathmatch ranks, without seeing anything besides "Death-match group"

But trading, and mostly knifes and overly expensive weapons on CSGO are cancer, i cant believe this:

Minimal Wear: $401 !! C'mon, with 300 you can get a real Glock 9mm somewhere else in craig list, and there is more:

C'mon, look at prices for something that just looks different cuz is just a weapon skin, does not improve stats for the weapon,

also knives are a bit expensive:

i cant believe there is people trowing away $1000 for a skin... and is happening right now maybe,

Regards

Regards,

 

[Basard]

Wow, that is pretty pitiful that people pay those prices.

Rocket league crates are all cosmetic items. You pay for the keys to unlock them, and we can trade them. They give us special keys during events, but you have to earn them, and they make the items untradable.

 

[peche]

Wow, that is pretty pitiful that people pay those prices.

its almost incredible, but is payed otherwise the price tag would not exist, also that kinda content is what might make your account hackeable, or interesting for that kinda people, even with lowered priced items, a dude i know a bit (used to play with me in a csgo team) got his account stolen cuz he had like $500 on 5 weapon skins,

Rocket league crates are all cosmetic items. You pay for the keys to unlock them, and we can trade them. They give us special keys during events, but you have to earn them, and they make the items untradable.

i havent seen on CSGO