A class-action lawsuit was filed against the plaintiff's law firm valveaccusing the company of using illegal gambling tactics through the loot box system offered in some of Valve's games. In the indictment, it is alleged that the money earned by the company by selling the loot box by Valve knowingly benefited the consumers including children.
In addition to being the company behind the popular PC storefront Steam, Valve is also the maker of various games, including Dota 2, Team Fortress 2and Counter strike series. In addition to its gaming IPs, Valve is also the maker of the popular Steam Deck handheld system, which allows Steam users to play a variety of PC titles. Although stocks of the Steam deck have been difficult to replenish, Valve is also developing a Steam Machine, Steam Frame, and a new Steam Controller. The Steam Machine, frame, and controller are all slated to launch sometime in 2026, though exact pricing and release date information is unknown as of this writing.
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Valve faces legal scrutiny in its home state
Weeks after New York Attorney General Leticia James sued Valve over its loot box system, another law firm has joined the legal fray against the PC gaming giant. The consumer lawsuit against Valve was filed by the Seattle-based Hagens Berman law firm in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington. According to a 32-page lawsuit filed by Hagens Berman, some of Steam's most popular games, including Dota 2 and Counter-Strike 2They have built in loot boxes that players can buy. in Counter-Strike 2The value of loot boxes and the keys used to open them can vary. While more recent items sell for cheap, like kilowatt case keys for $2.49, older and rarer items often sell for over $1,000 on the Steam Marketplace. The lawsuit argued that Valve's loot box system constitutes gambling, which is illegal under Washington state law. The lawsuit seeks to recover damages from Valve's loot boxes, as well as compel Valve to cease and desist any loot box operations if it succeeds.
The Hagens Berman law firm further said that Valve's loot boxes were designed to “extort money from consumers, including children, through deceptive, casino-style psychological tactics.” Hagens Berman founder and managing partner Steve Berman said, “We believe Valve deliberately engineered its gambling platform and profited greatly from it. Consumers played these games for fun, not knowing Valve allegedly stacked the odds against them. We want to hold Valve accountable and put money back in consumers' pockets.”
Cases against loot boxes continue to grow
As for the legality of loot boxes, some countries have taken measures to ban loot boxes in video games. Loot boxes are banned in Brazil later this month after Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva signed the measure into law in September 2025. Brazil will join Belgium and the Netherlands in regulating loot boxes within its borders. Because Valve is based in Bellevue, Washington, the company is subject to state law. As of this writing, the Hagens Berman lawsuit calls for the Loot Box case against Valve to be decided via a jury trial in the future. However, it remains to be seen whether the Loot Box lawsuit against Valve will move forward in Washington.
A lawsuit from Hagens Berman was recently filed against Valve, it is currently unclear if the case will be moved to a jury trial or if the case will be settled or dismissed. Although Valve's lawyers recently won a patent troll case in Washington state, it remains to be seen how the PC gaming giant will fare in defending its loot box practices on two fronts.
Source: Insider Gaming
