Epic Games, EA, Ubisoft Accused of ‘Tricking Kids’
Seven big video game companies, including Epic Games, Electronic Arts (EA), and Roblox, are under investigation by European consumer watchdogs.
The European Consumer Organisation, along with 22 other consumer groups from different European countries, has filed a formal complaint with the European Commission and the European Network of Consumer Authorities.
This complaint was made on Thursday and accuses these companies of using misleading tactics to trick players into spending more money. Some parents believe that these video game developers intentionally make their games addictive to encourage more spending.
This complaint is quite serious because it involves consumer groups from several major European countries. Groups from France, Germany, Italy, and Spain, among others, have come together to tackle these problems.
The complaint also names Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard, Mojang Studios, and Ubisoft. Supercell, which is mostly owned by the Chinese tech giant Tencent, is also being looked at.
The consumer groups say that these companies often hide the real cost of digital items in their games. This can make it easy for players to spend more money than they planned to, without realizing the full cost.
Another important issue mentioned in the complaint is how premium in-game currencies are managed. The complaint points out that players often don’t get their fair rights when using these virtual currencies. This raises concerns about whether the companies are treating players fairly in the digital gaming world.
