DayZ Dev Slams Valve For Using Gambling Mechanics In Games

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Valve has seen huge success with Steam, and the continued popularity of Counter-Strike and its sequel, Counter-Strike 2, has created thriving in-game economies. However, Dean Hall, known for creating games like DayZ and Icarus, argues that Valve should be criticized for using potentially exploitative monetization tactics, such as loot boxes, in Counter-Strike 2.

Hall told Eurogamer that Valve doesn’t receive enough scrutiny for its practices. He strongly disapproves of gambling-like features in video games, believing they shouldn’t exist at all. He challenges developers who defend these features to share their data with researchers at universities who are eager to study their effects.

Loot boxes aren’t as popular with game companies anymore, particularly after several efforts to regulate or outlaw them. In Counter-Strike 2, these boxes can hold valuable in-game items like weapon and armor skins, which players can even trade or sell for real money. However, there’s no certainty you’ll get the item you want from a loot box. Repeatedly spending money on these boxes in hopes of finding a specific item could be seen as a type of gambling.

Overwatch 2 recently brought back its loot boxes, but made them more open about how they work and now guarantees players will receive a rare or better item in each one. This comes after Activision’s Hearthstone, which was one of the first games to use loot boxes back in 2014 and faced criticism for doing so.

Valve recently updated the original Counter-Strike, significantly impacting the market for in-game weapon trading and causing sellers to lose an estimated $1.75 billion. Additionally, a fan-made remake of the game, called Counter-Strike: Legacy, is facing potential closure due to issues with Valve.

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2025-10-28 05:09