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Dean Hall Condemns Valve’s Gambling-Like Monetization After CS2 Update Triggers Multi-Billion Market Crash

He urges game studios to open their data to researchers so gambling-style systems can be independently studied.

Overview

  • The DayZ and Icarus creator says Valve “does not get anywhere near enough criticism” and that gambling mechanics have “absolutely no place” in games.
  • A recent Counter-Strike 2 patch rapidly devalued rare skins, with reports estimating roughly $3 billion lost within a secondary market pegged around $6 billion.
  • CS2’s loot cases and tradable skins sustain a vast resale and betting ecosystem, even as Valve’s policy forbids third‑party sales.
  • Coverage notes Valve has skirted some loot-box restrictions by selling keys to open crates, as regulators such as those in Brazil move to limit sales to minors.
  • Hall challenges developers to share data with universities, and says RocketWerkz used a paid DLC model to survive while planning an optional‑contribution approach for its next game, Kitten Space Agency.