DayZ creator Dean Hall has condemned Valve for using “gambling mechanics” in games like Counter-Strike 2, arguing the company faces too little criticism for monetisation practices that exploit players.
DayZ creator and Icarus developer Dean Hall has said Valve does not face “anywhere near enough criticism” for its use of gambling-style monetisation systems.
Speaking to Eurogamer, Hall said he was “honestly disgusted with gambling mechanics in video games at all – they have absolutely no place”.
He specifically called out Counter-Strike 2’s loot box system, which allows players to purchase weapon skins that can later be traded or sold, fuelling a multi-billion-dollar marketplace often linked to betting sites.
Hall added: “My challenge to game developers is that if they think these things are not a problem, they make the data available to universities who are crying out to study this stuff.”
While many publishers have moved away from loot boxes amid global scrutiny, Valve has avoided most regulations by changing Counter-Strike’s system so that players now pay for the contents directly rather than for a randomised box.
Hall argued that the practice still exploits gambling behaviours, especially among younger audiences.
The developer also reflected on his own studio’s struggles with monetisation.
After Icarus switched from a free-to-play model to one reliant on paid DLC, Hall admitted: “I don’t really like the Icarus approach. We needed it to survive.”
Hall said his next project, Kitten Space Agency, will experiment with a “pay-if-you-want” model – a way, he hopes, to “find a different way” forward for ethical game funding.
DayZ creator says Valve doesn’t get ‘anywhere near enough criticism’ for gambling mechanics in games
