European consumer authorities have launched 11 coordinated actions involving 10 video game companies, examining how virtual currencies are priced, marketed and sold inside 11 widely played games.
The European Commission said the cases are being handled through the Consumer Protection Cooperation Network, which brings together national enforcement authorities and is coordinated by the Commission. The companies named are Activision Blizzard UK, Crytek, InnoGames, King.com, Mojang, Plarium Europe, PLR Worldwide Sales, Riot Games, Supercell and Ubisoft EMEA.
The games covered are Diablo Immortal, Call of Duty Mobile, Hunt: Showdown 1896, Forge of Empires, Candy Crush Saga, Minecraft, Mech Arena, Gardenscapes, Valorant, Clash of Clans and For Honor. According to Decrypt, the titles were selected because of their broad reach, availability on multiple devices and differing age ratings.
What the EU principles require
The coordinated actions follow principles published by the consumer network in March 2025. They focus on making the cost of digital purchases clearer to players and preventing sales practices that can make spending difficult to understand.
Under the principles, games should display the real-world price of virtual currencies and in-game items prominently. Companies should not combine multiple currencies or force players through repeated exchanges if that makes the underlying cost less visible. The guidance also discourages offers that encourage a player to purchase more currency than is needed for a particular item.
Currency bundles with deliberately mismatched prices are another concern. Such offers can leave players with a residual balance that cannot be used to buy the item they originally wanted without making another purchase.
Players are also entitled to a 14-day right of withdrawal, including for virtual currency that has been purchased but not spent, according to the principles. Contract terms may also come under scrutiny when they give a company the unilateral power to change the value of its currency or close an account without providing a way for the player to challenge the decision.
Children, high spenders and game design
The review extends beyond the way prices are displayed. Consumer authorities said they are paying particular attention to variable-reward systems such as loot boxes, especially where those systems are aimed at children or available to them. Loot boxes are digital purchases that provide an uncertain in-game reward rather than a specific item.
The network is also examining so-called dark patterns, aggressive commercial practices, misleading countdown timers and unsupported claims that an item or offer is scarce. Direct appeals urging children to buy are already prohibited under EU law and are included among the practices being considered.
The principles treat children as inherently vulnerable consumers. They also say that games not designed exclusively for adults should expect a significant proportion of their players to be under 18.
High-spending players, sometimes called “whales,” are identified as another vulnerable group. The network says these players may have difficulty controlling impulses or may experience gambling disorders, meaning games designed around their spending face a stricter fairness assessment.
The Activision Blizzard case has an additional scope. Authorities are examining data collection, addictive design, default parental-control settings and the blocking of player accounts.
Cryptocurrencies are outside the framework
The EU principles are aimed at currencies bought with real money inside closed game economies. They do not apply to cryptocurrencies or similar digital currencies that use encryption and function as an alternative payment method. The footnote also excludes virtual currencies covered by the EU’s fifth anti-money-laundering directive.
Currencies that players can earn only through gameplay, and that cannot be purchased, are excluded as well. As a result, the actions concern paid in-game currencies rather than cryptocurrency markets or game tokens that operate as separate digital assets.
The consumer network’s actions follow discussions with the video game industry, including workshops held in June and September 2025. Authorities said they found indications that many companies had made no substantive changes after the guidance was issued or following years of discussions. Industry self-regulation initiatives such as PEGI have produced some improvements, the network said, but often have not addressed the central harmful practices identified by regulators.
The actions are investigations and coordinated enforcement measures; the source material does not state that the companies have already been found liable or specify penalties.
Moneyiar market picture
Moneyiar data at 09:34 on October 3, 2026, showed Virtuals Protocol (VIRTUAL) at $0.7633380711, down 7.41% over 24 hours and down 1.46% over seven days. Monad (MON) was at $0.0313763463, down 6.19% in 24 hours but up 19.35% over seven days.
Ethereum Name Service (ENS) stood at $6.7202323949, down 4.33% over 24 hours and 5.09% over seven days. Decimal (DEL), measured at 09:33, was priced at $0.4026865534, down 6.54% over 24 hours and 12.13% over seven days.
