EU Launches Coordinated Probe Into Riot, Ubisoft, Activision Blizzard, and Seven More Over In-Game Currency Pricing

European consumer protection authorities have opened a coordinated investigation into nine video game companies over how they price and sell in-game virtual currencies, with a separate Italian probe now also targeting Activision Blizzard specifically over Call of Duty Mobile and Diablo Immortal. The action is being coordinated through the EU’s Consumer Protection Cooperation (CPC) Network, backed by the European Commission, after talks with the games industry that began in 2025 reportedly failed to bring about meaningful changes to industry practices.

Nine Companies, Nine Games Under Review

The coordinated action, announced on September 30, names nine companies: Crytek, InnoGames, King, Mojang, Plarium Europe, PLR Worldwide Sales, Riot Games, Supercell, and Ubisoft EMEA. Authorities have flagged nine games for closer assessment as part of the review: Hunt: Showdown 1896, Forge of Empires, Candy Crush Saga, Minecraft, Mech Arena, Gardenscapes, Valorant, Clash of Clans, and For Honor. The companies and games haven’t been matched up one to one in official statements, so it’s not yet clear which title is tied to which specific complaint.

Hunt: Showdown 1896 is among the nine games authorities have flagged for a closer look at their in-game currency systems.

What the EU Says Is Wrong With In-Game Currencies

The CPC Network’s concerns center on a set of principles it already published for the industry: games should display the real-world cost of virtual currency and digital items, give players clear information before any purchase, and avoid designs that push players into buying more currency than they actually need. Authorities also want companies to honor the standard 14 day right of withdrawal, including for unused virtual currency, and to pay particular attention to protecting children and other vulnerable players from potentially addictive designs. The investigation will also look at how the companies collect players’ personal data.

Italy Takes the Lead on the Call of Duty Mobile and Diablo Immortal Probe

Separately, Italy’s antitrust authority AGCM confirmed on October 8 that it is leading a CPC-coordinated investigation into Activision Blizzard over Call of Duty Mobile and Diablo Immortal, backed by consumer protection authorities in Norway and Denmark. The Italian regulator’s national inquiry into the two games reportedly dates back to late 2025, and the October 8 announcement formalized Italy’s role as lead authority within the wider EU framework. The investigation is examining whether the games’ monetization practices, including the use of loot boxes and pay to progress designs, amount to a breach of consumer protection rules, and whether children in particular are being exposed to practices that make it harder to track how much real money they’re spending. EU consumer protection commissioner Michael McGrath said, “The game must be fair, and the rules must be respected.” If Italian authorities confirm a breach, fines in that case could reach up to 4% of Activision Blizzard’s annual turnover in each affected country.

Game Industry Pushes Back

Trade groups Video Games Europe and the European Game Developers Federation responded the same day the EU-wide action was announced, disputing the CPC Network’s underlying legal premise that in-game currencies count as “digital representations of value” comparable to other regulated financial instruments. The two groups point to a European Court of Justice ruling on RuneScape’s in-game gold as support for their position, and say they’ve been asking since spring 2025 for the legal basis of that classification without getting an answer. They’ve also offered a set of voluntary commitments, including clearer real-money pricing for virtual currency, 48 hour refunds on wholly unused currency bundles, 30 days’ notice before removing purchased content, and added child-safety measures, but say they’ll only follow through if the legal uncertainty around the classification itself is resolved first.

More EU Rules Could Be on the Way

The investigation arrives alongside two broader EU proposals that would reshape how games handle monetization if they pass. The proposed EU Kids Act would require platforms to prove they’re “safe by design” before children can use them, require the real-money value behind loot-box-style rewards to be clearly disclosed to younger players, and discourage login-bonus style mechanics designed to keep kids engaged longer than they might otherwise choose. A separate Digital Fairness Act, expected later this year, would target “dark patterns,” unfair personalization, and subscription traps across digital products generally, gaming included.

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Picture Source: European Commission, Crytek