Will Loot Boxes soon be History in the German-Speaking World?
According to the first ever German-language court ruling on loot boxes, the tempting boxes are illegal gambling. But can all gamers in Germany, Austria and Switzerland now sue for the money they spent on loot boxes? Exclusive insights into the text of the ruling and the legal classification of the case from litigation funder Padronus provide the answer.
When a short announcement from the Austrian District Court reached the German-speaking games industry at the beginning of March 2023, it was hard to foresee the consequences. Shortly before, on 26 February, the Hermagor District Court, a court of first instance in Carinthia, Austria, had ruled that a plaintiff should be reimbursed the money he had spent on loot boxes in several FIFA games. This was against Sony Interactive Entertainment, who had been sued because the plaintiff had purchased the loot boxes on PlayStation.