Diablo Immortal (opens in a new tab) arrives later this week on mobile devices and, somewhat unexpectedly, on PC, in an open beta that was revealed in April (opens in a new tab). Unless you like it in Belgium or the Netherlands, in which case you will not have access to the game, at least legitimately.
The problem seems to be related to the loot boxes and, specifically, to the laws against them in these countries. The Dutch gaming site Tweakers (opens in a new tab) (via Google Translate (opens in a new tab)) reported that a few days after the Diablo Immortal pre-registration was activated in the App Store and Google Play, turned off in Belgium and the Netherlands. . A representative of Activision Blizzard told the site that the removal was “related to the current operating conditions of the games in these countries.”
The issue was further clarified with a shared message on the Diablo Immortal subreddit (opens in a new tab), allegedly from a Blizzard support agent. “Unfortunately, players from the Netherlands and Belgium will not be able to install Diablo Immortal due to the country’s game restrictions,” he says. “Gambling boxes are against the law in your country, so unless the game restrictions change, the game will not be released in the Netherlands and Belgium.”
The message also warns that it is illegal for citizens of Belgium and the Netherlands to download the game from a different country, and even if you are not arrested for your mockery, you may be banned, although “in similar situations in the past”. where RNG loot boxes were against the law in certain countries, we did not ban any players for that, “the representative added.
Belgium and the Netherlands have taken much firmer stances against video game loot boxes than most other countries. In 2018, Valve turned off the possibility of opening CS: GO cases (opens in a new tab) in order to comply with the gambling regulations of these countries, and shortly after Blizzard removed the paid loot boxes from Overwatch (opens in a new tab) and Heroes of the Storm in Belgium. In 2020, Electronic Arts received a fine of 10 million euros ($ 10.8 million) (opens in a new tab) for FIFA loot boxes in the Netherlands, although this decision is canceled (opens in a new tab) earlier this year. I have contacted Activision Blizzard for more information and will update if I receive a response.
Thanks, GamesIndustry (opens in a new tab).