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Diablo Immortal won’t launch in Belgium and the NetherlandsProbably due to their lootbox legislation
Probably due to their lootbox legislation
Devilish MMOARPGDiablo Immortalis set to launch later this week - but not everywhere. Players in Belgium and the Netherlands won’t get a release, likely because the game’s microtransactions clash with their gambling laws.
Diablo Immortal | Release Date & PC Announce TrailerWatch on YouTube
Diablo Immortal | Release Date & PC Announce Trailer
The company hasn’t specifically said that the lack of release in these areas is related to loot boxes, but both countries havelawswhich declare that at least some of them fall into the category of illegal gambling. When the Belgian ruling was made in 2018, the country’s minister for justice Koen Geens said the country “must ensure that children and adults are not confronted with games of chance when they are looking for fun in a video game.”
This has previously led games likeRocket League,CS:GO, and Blizzard’s ownOverwatch and Heroes of the Stormto remove or otherwise restrict loot crate sales in those countries.
For Diablo Immortal, however, Blizzard have gone one step further, and are choosing not to release the game at all. No word on exactly why - they’ve only said that it’s “related to the current operating environment for games in those countries.”
Elsewhere, they’re still dealing withmultiplelawsuitsandinvestigationsinto allegations of sexual harassment and discrimination at the company.
For everyone outside of Belgium or the Netherlands, Diablo Immortal and all of its loot boxes will launch on PC and mobile on Thursday, June 2.
