Valve Disables Dota 2 (And CS:GO) Trading In The Netherlands, In Compliance With New Mandate

Valve has suspended item trading in Dota 2 and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive in the Netherlands. This comes in response to a mandate by the Dutch Gaming Authority, which seemed to indicate that four games -- none of them Valve's -- were required to remove all loot boxes by June 20.

Specifically, the law stated that "Loot boxes contravene the law if the in-game goods from the loot boxes are transferable. Loot boxes do no contravene the law if the in-game goods from the loot boxes are not transferable." As such, the loot boxes remain in the games, but, to skirt the law, the items they offer are no longer transferable.

Valve, meanwhile, continues to play the poor, confused victim, with GamesIndustry quoting a company spokesperson saying that the company doesn't "understand or agree" with the measures taken by the Dutch Gaming Authority and referencing the actions of the body as a "threat."

There's no word on whether the other games originally thought to be in violation of Dutch law -- FIFA 18, Dota 2, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds, and Rocket League -- made any changes before today's deadline. The fine for non-compliance is the higher total of 830,000 euros or 10% of worldwide revenue that was in violation of the law.