Seven
major
games
companies
–
including
Epic
Games,
Electronic
Arts,
and
Roblox
–
have
been
accused
of
misleading
consumers
into
spending
money
by
the
European
Consumer
Organisation
(BEUC).
The
BEUC
filed
a
complaint
today
alongside
the
European
Commission
and
the
European
Network
of
Consumer
Authorities
that
also
targets
Activision
Blizzard,
Mojang
Studios,
Supercell
and
Ubisoft.
The
complaint
highlights
how
consumers
are
regularly
“tricked”
into
overspending
with
in-game
currency
due
to
deceptive
tactics.
To
tackle
the
issue,
the
BEUC
recommended
a
ban
of
in-game
and
in-app
paid
currencies
or
to
prohibit
access
to
these
systems
for
under-18s
alongside
providing
“better
protection
of
consumers”
by
clarifying
legal
rights.
“The
online
world
brings
new
challenges
for
consumer
protection,
and
it
shouldn’t
be
a
place
where
companies
bend
the
rules
to
increase
profits,”
said
BEUC
director
general
Agustin
Reyna.
“Regulators
must
act,
making
it
clear
that
even
though
the
gaming
world
is
virtual,
it
still
needs
to
abide
by
real-world
rules.
“Today,
premium
in-game
currencies
are
purposefully
tricking
customers
and
take
a
big
toll
on
children.
Companies
are
well
aware
of
children’s
vulnerability
and
use
tricks
to
lure
younger
consumers
into
spending
more.”
In
response,
Video
Games
Europe
said
in
a
statement
to
TechCrunch
that
its
members
“always
respect
European
consumer
laws”
in
relation
to
in-game
currency
and
purchases.
“Players
can
experience
entire
games
without
spending
any
money,
giving
them
the
opportunity
to
try
games
without
any
upfront
cost
or
commitment,”
it
said.
“Video
Games
Europe
and
its
members
support
and
promote
fair
and
transparent
principles
for
purchases
of
in-game
content,
including
for
in-game
currency.
“The
PEGI
Code
of
Conduct
requires
developers
to
ensure
that
the
real-world
cost
is
clear
and
unambiguous
at
the
point
of
purchase
of
in-game
currency.”
Games
companies
have
been
facing
similar
complaints
for
years,
such
as
the
criticism
against
EA
and
its
use
of
loot
boxes
in
FIFA’s
Ultimate
Team
mode.
EA
faced
a
class
action
lawsuit
in
2020
over
said
loot
boxes,
which
alleged
the
firm
was
breaking
gambling
laws.
In
2022,
Epic
was
ordered
to
pay
$520
million
to
settle
charges
from
the
US
Federal
Trade
Commission
over
how
it
was
“tricking
users
into
making
unwanted
charges”
violating
children’s
privacy
law.
