Epic Games, Electronic Arts, Roblox and four other video game companies were slapped with European Union consumer complaints on Thursday accusing them of misleading gamers about their money.
The move comes amid growing concerns about children becoming addicted to gaming, with some parents claiming video game makers deliberately design products to lead to addiction.
The European Consumer Organization (BEUC) and its 22 members across Europe, including France, Germany, Italy and Spain, lodged a complaint with the European Commission and the European Network of Consumer Regulators on Thursday.
BEUC director general Agustin Reyna said in a statement: “BEUC members have identified numerous cases where gamers have been misled into spending money. Regulators must take action to make it clear that even if the gaming world is virtual, real-world rules still need to be followed.”
“Today, premium in-game currencies are deliberately deceiving consumers, resulting in huge losses for children,” he said. “Companies are well aware of children’s vulnerability and use techniques to lure young consumers into spending more.”
The complaint also targets Microsoft-owned Activision Blizzard, Mojang Studios, China’s Tencent-controlled Supercell and French peer Ubisoft Software.
The associations said they were concerned that consumers, especially children, were unable to see the true cost of digital goods, leading them to overspend, and that consumers were often deprived of access to premium in-game currencies.
© Thomson Reuters 2024
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
