Italy Probes Activision Blizzard Over Alleged In-Game Purchase Tactics
Italy’s competition authority, the Autorità Garante della Concorrenza e del Mercato (AGCM), has initiated two separate investigations into Microsoft-owned Activision Blizzard. The focus is on the company’s mobile games, Diablo Immortal and Call of Duty Mobile, which are suspected of employing misleading and aggressive sales strategies to promote in-game purchases.
The AGCM’s primary concern is that these games utilize design elements intended to encourage prolonged playtime, especially among younger audiences. These elements often include prompts that create a sense of urgency, urging players not to miss out on rewards, thereby nudging them toward making in-game purchases.
In a formal statement, the AGCM highlighted that such practices, combined with tactics that obscure the actual value of virtual currencies and the bundling of in-game currency sales, could unduly influence consumers, including minors. This influence might lead players to spend significant amounts, sometimes exceeding what is necessary for game progression, without a clear understanding of the expenses involved.
Both Diablo Immortal and Call of Duty Mobile are marketed as free-to-play games but offer in-game purchases. This monetization model is common in the gaming industry, where free-to-play games often rely on loot boxes and the sale of in-game cosmetics to generate revenue. For instance, Diablo Immortal offers in-game cosmetics and currency that can accelerate player progression and facilitate item crafting, with some items priced as high as $200. It’s not uncommon for players to make multiple purchases during their gameplay experience.
The AGCM is also scrutinizing the parental control features of these games. The default settings reportedly allow minors to make in-game purchases, engage in extended play sessions without restrictions, and communicate with other players in-game. Additionally, the regulator has raised privacy concerns, noting that the games seem to guide users toward accepting all consent options during the sign-up process. The AGCM plans to examine the company’s methods for collecting and utilizing personal data.
The authority emphasized that Activision Blizzard’s actions might violate consumer protection laws, particularly the obligation of professional diligence in a sector sensitive to gaming-related addiction risks.
As of now, Activision Blizzard has not provided a response to these allegations.
