Gamers fight against ‘manipulative tactics’ in games that prey on ‘vulnerable’ children
EUROPEAN consumer organisation BEUC has filed a complaint with the European Commission denouncing what it claims are “deceptive practices”.
The 36-page filing names several gaming companies, all of which have games with premium in-game currencies that are popular among children.
Activision Blizzard, EA, Epic Games, Mojang, Roblox and Ubisoft are mentioned, alongside Fortnite, EA FC 24, Minecraft, and Clash of Clans.
While these games are named explicitly, the filing makes clear that these are just examples of games that include what it called “manipulative tactics.”
The BEUC claims that the practices these games have do not comply with EU law.
The filing reads: “Following our analysis, we have reasons to believe that consumers fall prey to many deceptive practices when buying premium in-game currencies in video games.
“Moreover, we believe traders fail to provide consumers, in particular children, with safe online environments that fully comply with EU consumer rules.”
The filing was made by the BEUC and 22 of its member organisations which are part of 17 different EU countries.
It outlines four major areas where it claims games have to make improvements in order for them to align with EU law.
The filing claims that “gamers cannot see the real cost of digital items, leading to overspending”, which relates to how consumers have to purchase in-game currency in order to make in-game purchases.
It can be difficult to work out the real price of items in-game as they are often only listed in terms of in-game currency.
In-game currency must also be purchased in bulk, making it difficult to work out the exact price you are paying.
It states the “companies’ claims that gamers prefer in-game premium currencies” and that this claim is incorrect.
The filing also raises concerns over consumers’ loss of rights when using in-game currencies, as players commonly cannot refund their purchases.
Purchased in-game items can usually be removed from players’ accounts without prior warning and without refunds.
It also claims that “children are vulnerable to these manipulative tactics” as they often don’t understand the true value of their purchases.
The BEUC would further like to see in-game purchases and microtransactions turned off by default, allowing parents better control over their children’s spending.
It would also make the choice to purchase in-game items a more conscious choice by the user.
If you want to read more about gaming, check out how everyone quit Annapurna Interactive.
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