Valve Addresses Lawsuit by New York Attorney General, Says it Will Wait for a Court’s Decision

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Valve has responded to a lawsuit filed by New York’s attorney general, which claims the company’s use of loot boxes in games like Counter-Strike 2, Dota 2, and Team Fortress 2 violates state gambling laws. In its response, Valve compared these loot boxes to collectible trading cards, such as those found in Magic the Gathering or Pokemon.

Valve explained that the attorney general initially contacted them with similar concerns back in early 2023. The company also emphasized that players aren’t required to buy loot boxes to enjoy their games. In fact, most players don’t buy them at all, and there’s no penalty for not spending money, as the items inside are only cosmetic.

Regarding the legal case, Valve has expressed strong disagreement with the changes New York’s attorney general is requesting for its games. One key change the attorney general wants is to prevent players from trading or selling items obtained from loot boxes.

Allowing players to trade or sell virtual items benefits them – it’s like being able to trade a physical collectible, such as a Pokémon card or baseball card. New York’s Attorney General wants to prevent players from transferring items between Valve games, and we believe this right should be protected, so we won’t be implementing this restriction.

The company is concerned about the attorney general’s request for more information on each player, specifically to check if anyone is hiding their location – for example, by using a VPN to appear as if they’re outside of New York. This could force Valve to use intrusive methods to collect this data, including adding age verification, even though payment systems already verify age.

The company stated they respect New York’s authority to make its own laws. While New York has considered regulating mystery boxes, it hasn’t actually passed any such laws. The company believes any future laws should be created through a public process, with input from both the gaming industry and players. They felt the demands made by the New York Attorney General exceeded what current New York law requires and went beyond what other states are doing. Although settling with the Attorney General might have been simpler and less expensive, the company believed the terms would negatively impact users, other game developers, and their ability to create innovative games.

Valve responded to the attorney general’s claims linking video games to real-world violence and potential harm to children by calling them a familiar and misleading diversion. The company pointed to numerous studies showing the positive effects of gaming and stated it will await a court ruling instead of attempting a settlement with New York state.

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2026-03-12 19:12