From a legal point of view, is F2P a minefield?
Shareware games from a legal point of view raise a lot of questions, – the owner of the law firm Jas Purewal said from the stage of Pocket Gamer Connects London 2015.
The triumph of shareware games in the Western market has led to the fact that the revenue of titles such as Candy Crush Saga or Clash of Clans is calculated in astronomical numbers. Lawmakers are starting to wonder if it’s time to impose the same taxes on these large incomes,” said Purewall.
The owner of a law firm that specializes in digital entertainment also noted that the gaming industry as a whole has enough difficulties in the legislative field.
Another problematic issue concerns mobile games for children. Games for younger children are regulated by a number of strict legislative rules – and despite this, there is still no single definition of what exactly a children’s game looks like.
For example, a title with cartoon graphics, bright colors and simple gameplay can be regarded as childish – despite the fact that its target audience is adult gamers.
In addition, lawmakers want to ensure that, for additional consumer protection, confirmation of all purchases is carried out through the store, and not through the game. Purval believes that these are “necessary measures to separate ‘commercial intentions’ from gameplay.”
Other materials on the topic:
- Glu Mobile Sued Hothead Games
EA found guilty of defrauding users of mobile Dungeon Keeper - A source:
