Guild Wars 2 players in Belgium are having trouble buying gems — the MMO’s premium currency — from the in-game store.
Users on the Guild Wars 2 official forums and subreddit claim gems have been unavailable for purchase since September 19, with players being shown an error message (pictured below) whenever they attempt a transaction.
The issue appears to be unique to Belgium, as some players in the country have succeeded in buying gems by using a VPN to make it seem like they’re connecting from another region.
Developer ArenaNet hasn’t commented on the issue yet, but there’s speculation the studio might have pulled the in-game currency in an attempt to comply with Belgium’s new gambling laws.
The Belgian Gaming Commission banned paid loot boxes back in April after deciding the controversial monetisation tactic was indeed a ‘game of chance,’ and therefore constituted gambling.
Although gems in Guild Wars 2 can be earned through play and used to purchase specific items, they can also be spent on loot crates (such as the ‘Black Lion Chest’) that contain a selection of randomized items.
ArenaNet wouldn’t be the first studio to tweak how its loot boxes work in Belgium. 2K recently removed paid loot boxes from NBA 2K in response to the new gambling laws, while Blizzard followed suit with Overwatch and Heroes of the Storm.
Other companies, however, have resisted the change, and U.S. publisher EA is currently risking legal prosecution after refusing to amend loot boxes in FIFA 18.
