New York Attorney General Letitia James has filed a lawsuit against Valve, the creator of Steam, regarding loot boxes in games like Counter-Strike 2, Dota 2, and Team Fortress 2, claiming they promote gambling behaviors among youth. The state seeks to stop Valve's use of loot boxes and impose financial penalties. The lawsuit argues that loot boxes resemble traditional slot machines and that items obtained can be traded for real-world value, with a virtual gun skin from Counter-Strike 2 reportedly selling for over a million dollars in 2024. The lawsuit claims Valve intentionally makes high-value items rare to increase their perceived worth and highlights the potential for addiction and illegal gambling, particularly among young people. Valve has not yet responded to the lawsuit.
The FF14 7.4 update, announced by game director Naoki Yoshida and community producer Toshio Murouchi, will be released on December 16. It will include a new raid tier, updates to Occult Crescent, Cosmic Exploration, duty support, and the return of Hildibrand, along with a new Variant Dungeon. Patch 7.38 will launch on November 11, removing the weekly limit on savage rewards and allowing players to exchange certain coins for Evercharged Ester. The new main scenario quest will introduce a plot line transition, and the dungeon 'Mistwake' will be inspired by Final Fantasy IX. Occult Crescent will feature three new phantom jobs and upgraded phantom weapons. The Cosmic Exploration segment will introduce a new appraisal system, while the Variant Dungeon 'The Merchant's Tale' will allow for exploration with one to four players. An Advanced Variant Dungeon will enable players to tackle bosses in any order, and the Criterion Dungeon will present a challenging trial. Quality of life improvements will include new UI color schemes and a revamped glamour system, allowing unrestricted gear customization for glamour, excluding weapons.