A screenshot from Assassin’s Creed Shadows (2024), Ubisoft

The European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) accuses a number of major video game developers and publishers including Ubisoft, EA, Epic Games, Roblox, and more of violating EU consumer protection laws.

A screenshot of Star Wars Outlaws (2024), Ubisoft

In a press release, the organization announced it sent an alert to the European Commission and the European Network Consumer Authorities (CPC-Network) informing that them that they believe these various game companies “breach EU consumer protection laws.”

Furthermore, the organization said it was calling “on authorities to ensure that traders play by the rules and provide consumers with safe gaming environments.”

Key art for Fortnite Chapter 5 Season 2 (2024), Epic Games

Specifically, the organization shared that it found:

Consumers cannot see the real cost of digital items, leading to overspending: the lack of price transparency of premium in-game currencies and the need to buy extra currency in bundles pushes consumers to spend more. In-game purchases should always be displayed in real money (e.g.: Euro), or at least they should display the equivalence in real-world currency.
Companies’ claims that gamers prefer in-game premium currencies are wrong: Many consumers find this unnecessary step misleading and prefer buying items directly with real money. 
Consumers are often denied their rights when using premium in-game currencies, tied to unfair terms favouring game developers.
Children are even more vulnerable to these manipulative tactics. Data shows that children in Europe are spending on average €39 per month on in-game purchases. While they are among the ones playing the most, they have limited financial literacy and are easily swayed by virtual currencies.

Godzilla blasts King Kong in Minecraft (2024), Mojang Studios

The Director General of BEUC Agustín Reyna stated, “The online world brings new challenges for consumer protection, and it shouldn’t be a place where companies bend the rules to increase profits. BEUC’s members have identified numerous cases where gamers are misled into spending money. Regulators must act, making it clear that even though the gaming world is virtual, it still needs to abide by real-world rules.”

“Gamers shouldn’t need to rely on a calculator anytime they want to make an informed decision on how much they want to spend. The money they spend should be displayed in real money and deceptive practices must be stopped,” he continued.

“Today, premium in-game currencies are purposefully tricking consumers 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,” Reyna concluded.

A screenshot from EA Sports FC 24 (2023), EA Canada & EA Romania

The organization’s Senior Legal Officer Steven Berger also stated in a video uploaded to X, “You are not the only one getting confused. Indeed, a lot of the gaming companies whose games you are playing are implementing sneaky tactics to make you spend more and more into the video games.”

“One of them is the use of premium in-game currencies. So they are game currencies, but you have to pay with real money,” he said.

He added, “Like in a real shop, you have should not have to rely on a calculator every time you want to buy something in a video game. So, that’s why today, BEUC, the European Consumer Organisation and national members are launching a complaint to national authorities and to the European Commission to stop misleading practices in relation to in-game currencies.”

“The authorities will be able to launch a coordinated action against the game companies we are targeting in the alerts,” he continued. “The idea is to make sure that we can enjoy a safer environment when playing video games and more transparency [for] in-game purchases.”

A screenshot from XDefiant (2023), Ubisoft

The organization laid out that it wants to the CPC-Network to  “start coordinated enforcement and publish a joint position.” It also demands “that video game companies stop these unfair commercial practices.”

Furthermore it wants “full transparency from traders. Virtual items should ALWAYS display prices in real currency, not premium in-game currencies. Consumers should have the same rights online as they do in the real world, including the right of withdrawal and legal guarantees.”

In a more detailed report, the organization made it clear that “The European Commission should consider the possibility of banning the use of premium currencies in-game and in-app following the result of the Digital Fairness Fitness Check.”

If this demand is not considered it wants “the European Commission [to] consider a prohibition of in-app and in-game premium currencies, in relation to children (under 18).”

A screenshot from Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 (2024), Treyarch and Raven Software

It also suggests that “EU Consumer Law should be amended to introduce an obligation to deactivate ingame payment mechanisms “by default”, including premium currencies. There should be a choice for consumers to activate in-game purchases (‘opt-in’).”

Another suggestion is that ‘The holder of the means of payment (cards or others) should receive a notification and be required to validate each in-game or in-app transaction.”

Another desire is for the European Commission to amend its “Annex of the Unfair Contract Terms (UTCD) Directive to declare terms that discard refund claims of in-game and in-app premium currencies in all circumstances are presumably unfair.”

A screenshot from World of Warcraft: The War Within Alpha (2024), Blizzard

What do you make of this move from BEUC calling on The European Commission to further regulate video games and specifically in-game purchases with premium currency?