I have been avoiding multiplayer Valve games like Counter-Strike 2 and Team Fortress 2, due to their in-game economies that have created an underage gambling gray market, which Valve has done little about. However, I am on Linux, and the choices for multiplayer shooters are few. Besides, my small boycott is not stopping Counter-Strike 2 from being the most played steam game. Are boycotts really the best solution to stop this epidemic in gaming? How can we best prevent these gambling grey markets and the gaming to gambling addiction pipeline?

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[–] abbotsbury@lemmy.world 3 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I've been boycotting CS2 (née CSGO) since November 2019 when they introduced Fortnite skins with annoying voices that you couldn't turn off or disable.

I don't think it has worked but I'm definitely never playing another Valve multiplayer game, they always turn out the same way.

[–] RonnieB@lemmy.world 2 points 1 week ago

Played cs2 after not playing any counter strike for years. What an awful experience. I miss the days of finding a community server with people you get along with, or leaving a server you don't like. Matchmaking you can't leave, skins, loot boxes, has ruined online multiplayer for me, but it's not going anywhere, sadly.