Entertainment · Gaming · 2 hrs ago
EU rules are increasing regulatory pressure on games companies
EU and national lawmakers are tightening rules for games companies across areas such as consumer protection and artificial intelligence.
Games can combine in-game purchases, voice chat, player-made content and AI tools, so one title may face several different rules.
EU consumer authorities are targeting in-game shops over practices such as unclear prices for virtual currencies and incentives aimed at children.
Since the end of September, EU and national authorities have taken coordinated steps to enforce principles requiring clearer pricing and fairer treatment of players.
The EU AI Act requires some AI-generated content to be marked so it can be identified as artificially created or changed; this obligation began in August, with a transition period for existing systems until December 2, 2026.
More rules may follow through proposed EU legislation, including the KIDS Act on online safety and a planned Digital Fairness Act that could affect in-game worlds.
EU and national legislators are tightening rules that affect games companies, according to GamesIndustry.biz.
The EU’s consumer protection network has begun coordinated enforcement actions over principles for in-game virtual currencies.
Rules under the EU AI Act require some generative AI output to be marked as artificially generated or manipulated.
Proposed EU measures, including the KIDS Act and Digital Fairness Act, could bring further rules for games.
- Who
- EU and national regulators are increasing oversight of games companies.
- What
- New and proposed rules cover areas including virtual currencies, AI transparency and online safety.
- When
- Some rules took effect in August, and coordinated enforcement actions began at the end of September.
- Where
- The European Union and its member states.
- Why
- Legislators are tightening regulatory frameworks, including consumer protections and rules for AI.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
The CPC acted against Swedish studio Star Stable Entertainment over alleged practices involving in-game purchases and marketing.
The CPC published its Key Principles on In-Game Virtual Currencies.
Rules under the EU AI Act on deepfakes and representations of real-world locations and people in games began to apply.
The first reporting obligations under the Cyber Resilience Act followed.
EU and national authorities began coordinated actions to enforce the virtual-currency principles.
- Star Stable
- Swedish studio targeted by CPC action in March 2025
- CPC principles
- Seven principles for purchases made with virtual currencies bought with real money
- AI Act transparency
- Generative AI providers must mark certain output in a machine-readable way
- Existing AI systems
- Grace period runs until December 2, 2026
What people are saying
EU and national legislators are tightening their regulatory frameworks, and games sit right in their path
Sources
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