European consumer protection authorities have announced coordinated actions against 10 video game companies, accusing several of the industry’s biggest names—including Activision Blizzard and Ubisoft—of using “dark patterns” that put minors and people at risk of gaming addiction in danger.
The investigation is being led by Italy’s Competition Authority under coordination from the European Commission. The targeted companies are Activision Blizzard, Crytek, InnoGames GmbH, King, Mojang, Plarium Europe S.à.r.l., PLR Worldwide Sales Limited, Riot Games, Supercell, and Ubisoft.
Activision Blizzard remains the primary focus, with Diablo Immortal and Call of Duty singled out for expanding on previous investigations into those titles. Manipulative user interface design tactics and poor customer support have also been cited as concerns.
“These practices make it difficult for gamers, particularly vulnerable consumers, such as minors and individuals at risk of gaming addiction, to understand and keep track of how much money they are spending.”
European Commission press statement
The European-wide enforcement says it is focused on practices that obscure real-world spending in video games. These include the use of premium in-game currencies, selling virtual currencies in set quantities that rarely align with item prices and thus force players to overspend, and insufficient parental control mechanisms.
The actions aim to promote transparency and fairness while protecting the rights of consumers and minors when playing video games across European markets.
In-Came Currency Changes
Premium in-game currencies often use bundle structures that force players to buy more than they need. For example, Destiny 2’s Silver comes in bundles of 500, 1,000, and 1,500 units, but armor skins cost between 600 and 1,500 Silver—leaving buyers short unless they purchase extra that can be exchanged back for cash.
Fortnite is changing its approach. Starting October 14, players can purchase the exact amount of V-Bucks they need. This change will also roll out to Rocket League and Fall Guys across Xbox, Nintendo, PC, Android, iPhone, and the Fortnite web Item Shop, though it won’t be supported on PlayStation for now.
Broader Regulatory Trend
If successful, this action could set a new regulatory precedent with stricter oversight of monetization strategies in free-to-play and live-service games. It follows a recent trend where consumer protection, UI design, and contract transparency have come under scrutiny worldwide.
Several years ago, the Federal Trade Commission began an investigation into “roach motel” subscriptions in live-service games—those requiring only a single click to sign up for season passes or recurring subscriptions but multiple hoops to cancel them.
Meanwhile, Sony has claimed that it doesn’t mislead customers into purchasing digital licenses rather than actual ownership of products as it moves closer towards its all-digital future. The company is also set to pay out nearly $8 million to PlayStation customers as part of a settlement regarding digital game prices.
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