The Dutch can now see Dota 2 lootbox contents ahead of purchase

Lootboxes have just lost their purpose – in the Netherlands, at least. After the Dutch Gaming Authority judged that hiding the lootbox content in Dota 2 (and any other game) was an illegal form of gambling, Valve had to take appropriate action. And so, before they are opened, chests in Dota 2 now instantly show what’s inside them.

This is the Dota 2 reality the Dutch are experiencing right now. (source: /u/Larhf on reddit.com/r/DotA2)

It may seem like a change in the right direction, but there are a few catches. With the introduction of “transparent lootboxes,” the Dutch players had to wave goodbye to:

• Selling unwanted items on the Steam Market. Since everybody know what the loot is, it wouldn’t make sense for Valve economically to enable players to earn the box they knew the contents of back.
• Buying multiple lootboxes at the same time. The player now has to acquire a lootbox to see what’s included in the next one, as the rewards remain generated randomly.
• Seeing as the chest opens before them. Yup, the spinning animation is also gone.

The Dutch can now tell you which one of these you’ll drop.

Valve is far from satisfied. The developer believes that the Dutch authorities will change their minds sometime in the future, and does not agree with the legal decision at all. For now, however, the “reimagined lootboxes” remain in place. And will other developers follow in Valve’s footsteps on the Dutch soil – time will tell.

Dota 2

July 9, 2013

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