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It is not something that many will find strange, when it is being argued that is “cheating players” with the use of micropayments. The European Consumers Organisation (BEUC) has reportedly filed a formal complaint with the European Commission and the network of consumer protection authorities, requesting to open a thorough investigation into the use of premium currencies in video games, as part of thes micropayments and microtransactions policies.
This action would come after the publication of a report entitled “Game Over”, where BEUC and member organisations from 17 countries, They are reporting unfair practices by some major video game companies. Among the products, or companies, that have been singled out, we find games such as Fortnite, EA Sports FC 24, Minecraft and Clash of Clans.
Are players being “cheated” by the use of micropayments? Some associations accuse companies of unfair practices
After the war against loot boxes, it seems that monetization practices are extremely aggressive. But not only are they being accused of abusing this type of practice, but they can even be considered unfair practices, pointing out that it could be considered that “players are being deceived” with current practices. In fact, according to the BEUC, premium currencies in games violate EU consumer protection laws and are designed to maximize player spending.
The organisation has identified several key points that require the EC's attention, pointing out the lack of transparency in costs and violations of consumer rights, especially in the case of children. According to them, without being able to consider the real cost of the product for which one is paying, one may be paying too much for it. Players have a mistaken perception of the real value of these products, which increases the cost and leads the player to pay excessively. This is a clear attack on consumer rights, and is a greater risk in the case of minors.
It is noted that, knowing that there is a widespread stance against micropayments, Children in Europe would spend an average of €39 per month in in-game purchases. And this conclusion comes from a study that shows that 42% of them include premium currencies, and of these, eight have an age rating of 12 years or less. And they warn that It's not just a problem that's affecting the video game industrybut it would be reaching other markets, pointing out social networks, such as the case of TikTok, or video platforms, such as Twitch.
And as a result of this study and warning, the BEUC has urged the CPC-Network to initiate coordinated action law enforcement and publishing a joint position to put an end to these unfair commercial practices. The organization places particular emphasis on the need for better enforcement of the consumer legal framework in the video game sector and increased regulation in the coming years. Among the measures to be implemented, it advocates total transparency on the price of virtual items at the time of purchase, insisting that In-game purchases should always be displayed in real currency. Furthermore, the organisation expects that consumer rights in the virtual world will be equivalent to those in the real world, including the right of withdrawal and legal warranty rights.
It is a complicated issue, to a certain extent, because some of the games that are widely consumed today are games that tend to bet on the free-2-play business model and these types of micropayments serve to ensure the sustainability of development as a service. Some of the issues raised are logical, such as the appearance of the real price of the product, which is usually camouflage behind a virtual currency which could distort the real price of the product. It is usually a price that is easily converted, in most cases, so it should not be too much of a problem.
But given the abusive practices and abusive prices, the fact that this problem is being exposed and in games that can reach minors, is something that is very necessary.