EU targets hidden costs and unclear pricing in video games
Virtual currencies, real-world scrutiny.
A gamer plays with an Xbox controller. Photo by Anusak Laowilas/NurPhoto via Getty Images
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- EU consumer authorities are investigating 10 gaming companies over in-game purchases and virtual currencies.
- The inquiry covers 11 games, including Candy Crush Saga, Minecraft, Valorant, and Clash of Clans.
- Regulators are examining data collection, addictive designs, parental controls, child marketing, and account blocking.
Key Takeaways by nexos.ai, reviewed by Cybernews staff.
The Consumer Protection Cooperation (CPC) Network, a partnership of European supervisory authorities that enforces EU consumer protection laws, is set to investigate 10 gaming companies.
According to the CPC Network, the game developers are failing to comply with European rules regarding in-game purchases.
In 2025, the competition authorities published a document outlining key principles for in-game virtual currencies. These guidelines were designed to help gaming companies incorporate microtransactions into their games.
The goal was to promote transparency and fairness when buying in-game items.
For example, game developers were prohibited from forcing unwanted currency purchases on gamers, were obliged to provide clear information before in-game purchases were made, and were required to protect vulnerable gamers from hidden costs.
Which companies the probe targets?
The CPC Network’s investigation targets Activision Blizzard, Crytek, InnoGames, King.com, Mojang, Plarium, PLR Worldwide Sales, Riot Games, Supercell, and Ubisoft.
More specifically, the European competition authority is looking into the following games: Diablo Immortal, Call of Duty Mobile, Hunt: Showdown 1896, Forge of Empires, Candy Crush Saga, Minecraft, Mech Arena, Gardenscapes, Valorant, Clash of Clans, and For Honor.
“The CPC Network seeks to ensure coordinated and efficient enforcement, while promoting a high level of consumer protection and greater legal certainty for both consumers and traders operating in the video game sector across the EU/EEA single market,” the CPC Network said in a joint statement that was issued earlier this week.
As part of this inquiry, the CPC Network is examining how in-game virtual currencies are sold, how personal data from gamers is collected, whether games have addictive designs, the standard parental control settings, direct marketing to children, the display of pre-contractual information, and the blocking of gaming accounts.
“Roughly half of Europeans play video games, making gaming a major part of our digital economy and everyday lives. With that reach comes responsibility. The industry must ensure that its games do not expose players, especially children, to harmful or unfair practices,” EU Commissioner Michael McGrath said in a press release.
In-game monetization faces wider scrutiny
Gaming companies have been under scrutiny for alleged unfair business practices for some time.
In late 2022, Epic Games reached a $245 million settlement in the US, intended to reimburse players. On top of that, the game developer paid $275 million for collecting data from children without their parents’ consent.
Earlier this year, the District Court of Rotterdam ruled that Epic Games used deceptive purchasing tactics on one million Dutch children to make unwanted purchases and issued a €1.1 million ($1.2 million) penalty. The game developer recently decided to accept the court’s ruling.
