EU consumer watchdog says in-game currencies trick gamers

A new complaint from the EU consumer watchdog says in-game currencies trick gamers into spending money. The complaint filed this week is being aimed at companies that include Roblox, Electronic Arts, Epic Games, and others, which use premium in-game currencies for the purchase of certain digital goods instead of real money.

This method of exchanging a premium currency for the desired digital item removes the immediate visual of how much money that item actually costs. Gamers spend their real money on the premium currency. Oftentimes these packs are divided up into odd amounts. Which may or may not be enough to purchase said item(s). Gamers are then left with the decision of having to buy more premium currency to get what they want or forfeit getting the item.

More times than not, gamers will likely choose to buy more of the currency because they’ve already spent money on the initial amount. Which generally can’t be refunded. The bigger issue for the European Consumer Organization is that it says these tactics are more commonly aimed at children.

EU watchdog claims in-game currencies target children, trick them into spending money

According to the complaint, game makers are being intentionally misleading with the way in-game currencies work. “Today, premium in-game currencies are purposefully tricking consumers and take a big toll on children. Companies are well aware of children’s vulnerability and use tricks to lure younger consumers into spending more,” the BEUC’s Director General Agustin Reyna said.

Reuters also reports that the complaint comes at a time when parents have expressed concerns that their kids are or are becoming addicted to games. Citing game makers as intentionally designing games to turn their kids into addicts. This isn’t the first time Epic has been included in such a complaint.

As Engadget points out, Epic incurred a fine back in 2022 for something similar. The FTC’s fine was due to Epic allowing kids to purchase its in-game currency called V-Bucks. Epic stopped allowing kids to make V-Bucks purchases without parental consent in 2018.

Roblox will start accepting real money for games later this year

While the complaint includes Roblox it also comes at an interesting time. Roblox announced earlier this month that it plans to integrate real money as a purchase option. The company plans to roll out real-money purchases later this year in select regions. However, it will only apply to paid access games. As it’s supposed to be a way for developers on the Roblox platform to make more money.

It will not, according to the initial report, include digital goods that aren’t paid access games. This means users would still need to use Robux to pay for in-game items. But it is a step in the right direction in terms of allowing more forms of payment.