Two-and-a-half years ago, TheGamer opined that the then-unreleased Counter-Strike 2 would do well to fix the series' gambling-centric woes. That hasn't exactly transpired. In a world where several nations have passed regulations against video game lootbox mechanics, Valve is seemingly pursuing ways to bypass those laws while still providing something similar. That part's not surprising.
More eye-opening, however, is how the company is approaching the issue. Counter-Strike 2's new "Terminal" system is, to put it lightly, pretty problematic in its own right. It functions akin to lootboxes, but circumvents key regulatory aspects in favour of... well, something which is arguably even worse.
Valve introduced Terminals as part of Counter-Strike 2's 'Show Off' update. Terminals are part of the Genesis Collection, which includes a total of 17 items, and can sometimes be obtained via weekly drops. Alternatively, of course, they can be purchased through the Steam Market.
The arms dealer NPC you're connected with when you access a Genesis Terminal will begin to showcase weapon skins, one at a time. You can either say yes, or say no, and you can keep saying no up to four more times, at...
