eSports game developer eschews steam in new product release

According to reports in eSports media, Rocket League developer Psyonix is unhappy with the slow response of Valve in addressing the gambling scandal currently swirling around individuals associated with CS:GO competitions (see previous reports), and has decided to cut Valve subsidiary Steam Marketplace out of its new product launch.

Psyonix exec Jeremy Dunham used social media this week to advise interested parties:

“There will be no Steam Marketplace integration with crates. We are definitely aware of the problems related to third-party gambling in other games and we are not interested in taking that approach.”

Dunham was referring to third party sites using the Steam API and allegedly allowing users to gamble with Counter Strike Global Offensive add-ons, which can be converted to real money via Steam Marketplace. Valve is currently facing a civil lawsuit that accuses the company of enabling underage and online gambling.

Valve has not responded to the widespread discussion on the issue, which has incited further criticism in some quarters.

Dunham’s new product and the subject of his boycott of Steam Marketplace offers for sale virtual keys which open random drop online crates containing gaming cosmetic items.

The crates do not include any weapons-enhancing elements, because Psyonix has a strict ‘Don’t Sell Advantage’ policy for Rocket League.