Adopt Me! has shut down in the Netherlands and Belgium to comply with those countries’ restrictions on Roblox loot boxes, the game’s creators announced via a blog post on the hit Roblox game’s official website.
“We want Adopt Me to be enjoyed by as many players around the world as possible. However, to comply with laws in the Netherlands and Belgium, access for players in The Netherlands and Belgium has been disabled,” the post reads. “This is part of a Roblox-led program to comply with this law and as such, we expect other Roblox games to be making these changes in the following weeks.”
“We will be attempting to change Adopt Me in these regions in order to allow access again in the future, however, this process could take a long time as we don’t want to compromise the quality of the game. Please remain patient and keep an eye on our social media pages for potential updates on this.”
“We apologise to any players in those countries who are upset by no longer being able to play Adopt Me, unfortunately as this is a legal requirement we cannot make any exceptions.”
The shutdown went into effect on Sept. 13.
Adopt Me!, which is on our list of the best Roblox games in 2022, is among the most popular games on Roblox. The experience from developer Uplift Games involves purchasing eggs with either in-game currency or Robux, which then spawn baby animals of varying rarity that players can raise, grow, and, in some cases, transform into even rarer versions of these animals. At its peak, the game amassed more than 1.6 million concurrent players.
Adopt Me! keeps players hooked by offering them the opportunity to purchase eggs that have a chance to spawn a common, uncommon, rare, ultra-rare, or legendary animal. The rate at which each of those classes of animals spawn is increasingly rare, and legendary creatures are among the most coveted in the game. While there are several ways to earn money in Adopt Me!, players can also spend Robux to bypass the in-game earning mechanics and outright buy eggs or pets. However, some specific legendary creatures are not guaranteed, so theoretically, players could spend thousands of Robux without getting their animal of choice.
Because the game’s core mechanics are contingent upon loot box mechanics, there’s no easy way for the game’s creators to conform to loot box restrictions in The Netherlands and Belgium that wouldn’t give players in those regions a distinct advantage. Without loot boxes, players would simply have to spend enough money to purchase the legendary creature of their choice, which could decrease the rarity of those specific creatures or otherwise impact the market. Ultimately, this negates the core of what players enjoy about the Adopt Me! experience.
Adopt Me! is only the first major Roblox game to announce it’s shutting down in the Netherlands and Belgium, but other games are likely to follow suit. For example, the popular game Pet Simulator X also relies on similar loot box-style mechanics, as do dozens more of the platform’s top games.
Violations of the Belgian law (in Dutch, as reported by BBC) regarding loot boxes can result in a hefty fine and up to five years in prison. These penalties may be doubled “when minors are involved.” In the Netherlands, where loot box laws are slightly less defined, similar legislation seems likely to pass in the coming months. However, PCGamesN could not confirm the current status of the proposed law.
Adopt Me!’s sudden shutdown has some players in the impacted regions upset, as they purport to have spent money on the game, amassed login streaks, and made friends they’ll no longer be able to join in the game.
However, it appears the developers are working to find a way to continue to make the game available for players in the two impacted countries.
“We’re eager to invite players from The Netherlands & Belgium back into Adopt Me soon, as we’re working hard to make changes that allow Adopt Me to continue following the laws of these countries without significantly altering gameplay,” the game’s official Twitter account shared. “No one will lose their log-in streaks or items.”
Even without games that contain loot boxes, there’s still plenty to do on Roblox. If you want to enjoy free gear for your avatar without loot box mechanics, check out our Roblox promo codes list for September. You’ll also want to visit our Roblox music codes for September and learn how to redeem them for songs from your favourite artists.