The EU has launched an investigation into Supercell, Ubisoft, Playrix, and seven other companies over microtransactions
The European Commission and the Consumer Protection Cooperation Network (CPC Network) are dissatisfied with the commercial practices of several major gaming companies. They are concerned that developers are not following recommendations for honest and transparent use of microtransactions.
Clash of Clans
The agencies released a statement announcing the start of "coordinated actions" against Supercell, Activision Blizzard, King, Playrix, InnoGames, Crytek, Mojang, Plarium, Riot Games, and Ubisoft. They hope that as a result, these companies will agree to bring monetization in their games into compliance.
Recall that the CPC Network published recommendations for game developers with microtransactions in March 2025. These consist of several key points:
- indicating the price of in-game items not only in in-game currency but also in real money;
- not attempting to obscure the cost through dishonest practices;
- adhering to fair and understandable purchasing conditions;
- providing gamers with all the information about the conditions in an accessible and comprehendible form;
- not forcing gamers to make purchases and respecting their right to refuse.
The situation has already been commented on by two European gaming associations: Video Games Europe and the European Games Developer Federation. In their response, they noted that these recommendations do not have binding force. As added by the associations, they have been negotiating with the CPC Network for over a year but have yet to achieve legal justification for their position.
All of this is happening against the backdrop of increasing pressure on games in the EU. In mid-September, the European Commission introduced the EU Kids Act bill, which, under the guise of protecting children online, proposes rather strict regulation of online games.