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Official statement from Valve.

We shared with the NYAG that these types of boxes in our games are widely used, not just in video games but in the tangible world as well, where generations have grown up opening baseball card packs and blind boxes and bags, and then trading and selling the items they receive.

You're right! We should stop that too!

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[-] ajoebyanyothername@lemmy.world 7 points 1 month ago

Make it so that gambling leads to a higher age rating for the game, and then let parents manage that the same way they would violence or language in a game. I think (hope) this would lead to a huge drop in lootboxes, rather than changes to ratings, but either way works for me.

[-] PlzGivHugs@sh.itjust.works 2 points 1 month ago

I mean, currently Counter Strike already has (had?) an ESRB M rating, as did TF2. Dota isn't rated, but would clearly also be M, given abilites like Rupture. Do you think we just need to reduce the normalization of it?

[-] ajoebyanyothername@lemmy.world 2 points 1 month ago

But how many children are playing those games and buying lootboxes without their parents' knowledge?

I am absolutely in favour of less lootboxes in games though. They are an unfortunate natural progression of microtransactions, and the fact that they make so much money means they're unlikely to go anywhere without any systemic measures being put in place.

[-] Goretantath@lemmy.world 2 points 1 month ago

We need punishments for parents neglecting their kids like this, letting them gamble and play things rated above their age rating is not good parenting.

[-] ajoebyanyothername@lemmy.world 1 points 1 month ago

But part of the problem is that they're not above the age rating, often things like Fifa are rated as suitable for children. And ultimately, the ratings are guidance, they're not rules or law. There should definitely be a push for parents to actually look into it properly though, I do think that's a big part of the issue, and leads to legislation such as age verification, which just makes things more difficult for everyone.

this post was submitted on 11 Mar 2026
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