NBA 2K19 gears up for a truncated launch in Belgium

NBA 2K19, to be launched in a couple weeks, will not be available in Belgium with full options. As per the regulations in the country, players will not be able to buy card packs with real-money currency.

Publisher 2K is not at all happy with the regulation that deems such real-money transactions constitute illegal gambling. The company has issued the following statement: “We are working to comply with the BGC’s current interpretation of these laws,” the company wrote in the statement. “As a result, we have made some local changes to the MyTeam mode. These changes are necessary in order for us to accommodate the BGC’s interpretation of the Belgian Gaming Act. Specifically, we will be turning off the ability to purchase packs with premium (non-earned) currency/VC.”

The company goes further and asks the fans and players to put pressure on the Belgian government. The statement continues: “If you agree, we recommend that you contact your local government representative to communicate your opinion,” 2K wrote. “We will keep the community posted on any developments. We apologize for any inconvenience.”

“Blind” loot boxes, where players pay for packages of random in-game items, have been banned in both Belgium and the Netherlands recently, following government studies that found them to constitute gambling.

However, similar studies in the U.K. and France have come to the opposite conclusion.

Valve and Blizzard are among developers who have already made changes to their games for the Belgian and Dutch markets, pulling loot boxes out of Heroes of the Storm, Overwatch and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive.

Source: pcgamesn.com