The European Union has taken on video game microtransactions: Activision Blizzard, Ubisoft, and seven other companies will be investigated due to mechanics that encourage players to spend more money.
The European Commission is coordinating actions against ten companies, including Mojang, Crytek, InnoGames, King, Plarium Europe, PLR Worldwide Sales, Riot Games, and Supercell.
The complaints concern the sale of premium currency in bundles, the cost of which does not correspond to the prices of in-game items. As a result, players are left with unused coins. For example, in Destiny 2, Silver bundles are sold in fixed portions, while skins cost between 600 and 1500 units. Similar mechanics are found in Fortnite and Call of Duty. Regulators are also concerned about spending transparency, parental controls, and support services.
The first changes are already planned: starting October 14, Fortnite will allow players to buy exactly as many V-bucks as needed for a specific item. This feature is also planned for Rocket League and Fall Guys on some platforms, with the exception of PlayStation in the initial stage.
The investigation does not mean automatic fines and could lead to more transparent purchases and changes to the virtual currency sales system.