Seven publishers targeted by a complaint at European level for “deceptive commercial practices” concerning their virtual currencies

Activision Blizzard, Electronic Arts, Epic Games, Mojang Studios, Roblox Corporation, Supercell and Ubisoft are affected.

Consumer associations UFC-Que Choisir, CLCV and their counterparts in Europe are filing a complaint at the European level against seven video game publishers: Activision Blizzard, Electronic Arts, Epic Games, Mojang Studios, Roblox Corporation, Supercell and Ubisoft. They are being prosecuted for “deceptive commercial practices” concerning their virtual currencies, the associations indicate in a press release sent to franceinfo on Thursday, September 12. They “sound the alarm on the presence and use of embedded virtual currencies” in video games. And they “demand that European and national authorities impose better information for consumers when purchasing video games.”

While 7 out of 10 French people regularly play video games, publishers offer the purchase of virtual objects, such as weapons, costumes, tools or even additional features. The goal for players is to“improve their experience or progress faster”explain consumer associations.

The problem, according to the complainants, is that in many games it is impossible to buy these virtual objects or features directly with euros. You have to use virtual currencies that take the form of points, coins or diamonds. Thus, “Before any purchase, the consumer is forced to convert his euros into the game’s specific currency. These virtual currencies are becoming more and more widespread”denounce UFC-Que choisir and CLCV.

Consumers “are forced to purchase and convert more currency than necessary to obtain the desired item. Such practices significantly impair their freedom of choice”

UFC-Que Choisir and the CLCV

extract from the complaint filed

They point “the absence of any display of the price in euros of the virtual objects offered” and accuse video game publishers of covering up “their real cost” by cheating “consumers for a very specific purpose: to make them forget that the money they spend is real”. With this system of virtual currencies, it is “impossible for consumers to make the reverse conversion” and therefore know exactly how much they spend. This is a way of encouraging players to spend more and more without realizing it. The associations are demanding “to the legislator the prohibition of all forms of paid virtual currencies which deliberately distort the playful nature of video games.”

Note that 42% of the most played games on PC use these virtual currencies, this rate reaches 81% in the most popular games on smartphones. In France, 3.6 million players have already converted money in games to buy these virtual currencies.