Entertainment · Gaming · 5 hrs ago
EU Challenges 10 Game Companies Over In-Game Purchases
The EU has announced action against 10 gaming companies over how their games handle purchases.
The companies include Activision Blizzard, Riot Games and Ubisoft.
The effort is led by Italy’s competition authority.
A key concern is that players often have to buy virtual currency in bundles, making it hard to spend exactly what an item costs.
The EU also raised concerns about dark patterns, weak parental controls and limited help when accounts are blocked.
These practices matter because they can make spending in games less clear and harder to control.
The companies are now being challenged by the EU, but no specific outcome or deadline is given.
The EU is challenging 10 game companies over their in-game monetization systems.
The action is spearheaded by the Italian Competition Authority.
The EU’s concerns include virtual currencies, dark patterns, inadequate parental controls and limited help when accounts are blocked.
The companies named include Activision Blizzard, Ubisoft, Riot Games and Supercell.
The article says Epic has announced that players will be able to spend exact amounts of V-Bucks on some purchases starting this month.
- Who
- The EU, spearheaded by the Italian Competition Authority, is challenging 10 game companies.
- What
- It is challenging their monetization systems, including the use of virtual currencies and related game-design practices.
- When
- The announcement was made last week, according to the article published on October 11, 2026.
- Where
- Not stated
- Why
- The EU raised concerns about in-game purchases involving virtual currencies, dark patterns, inadequate parental controls and a lack of help when accounts are blocked.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
In-game purchases (such as cosmetic upgrades and weapon upgrade packs) are often priced in currencies other than euros, but ultimately involve– a payment in euros, either directly or indirectly, via multiple virtual currencies… This is accompanied by other game-design mechanisms (such as selling virtual currency in bundles), the use of dark patterns, inadequate parental controls, and a lack of assistance when accounts are blocked.
The EU announced it would take action against 10 companies over their monetization systems.
Epic said players would be able to spend exact amounts of V-Bucks on specific purchases, except on PlayStation.
- Companies challenged
- 10
- Lead authority
- Italian Competition Authority
- Companies named
- Activision Blizzard, Mojang, Ubisoft, Riot Games, Crytek, Supercell, InnoGames, King, Plarium and Playrix
- Epic’s announced change
- Exact-amount V-Bucks purchases, except on PlayStation
- Published
- October 11, 2026
Sources
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