The European Union is stepping up its scrutiny of microtransactions and virtual currencies in video games. The European Commission has announced enforcement action involving 11 major games over practices that allegedly fail to meet European consumer protection standards.
The action follows the EU’s 2025 Key Principles on In-Game Virtual Currency. These principles aim to make digital purchases clearer and prevent systems that can obscure how much real money players actually spend.
According to the European Commission, the rules are particularly important for protecting vulnerable consumers, including children. Regulators also want to prevent systems that encourage players to spend more money or time than they originally intended.
11 Games Face EU Action Over Microtransactions
The enforcement action covers several major games across PC, console, and mobile platforms. Some of the biggest franchises in the industry appear on the list.
The games named are:
- Call of Duty Mobile
- Diablo Immortal
- Minecraft
- Valorant
- Clash of Clans
- For Honor
- Hunt: Showdown 1896
- Forge of Empires
- Candy Crush Saga
- Mech Arena
- Gardenscapes
The list includes games operated by major publishers and developers such as Activision Blizzard, Mojang, and Ubisoft.
While each game handles monetization differently, virtual currencies and premium purchases remain common across the industry. Players often purchase a digital currency first and then use that currency to buy items, cosmetics, upgrades, or other content.
EU regulators argue that these systems can make the true price of digital items harder to understand.
EU Wants Real-World Prices to Be Clear
One of the biggest requirements concerns price transparency.
Under the CPC Network’s principles, consumers should receive clear information about how much digital content costs in real-world money. Regulators want to reduce situations where players must calculate exchange rates between euros and fictional currencies themselves.
For example, a game might sell 1,000 premium coins for a fixed amount of money. An item could then cost 700 coins. That extra conversion creates another step between the player and the actual monetary value of the purchase.
The EU wants developers and publishers to make those costs easier to understand.
The principles also target systems that force consumers to purchase virtual currency bundles that do not match the price of the item they want. Such systems can leave players with unused currency after a transaction.
Forced Currency Bundles Are Also Under Scrutiny
Virtual currency bundles have become common in free-to-play games and live-service titles.
Instead of directly purchasing an item for €5, for example, a player might first need to purchase €10 worth of premium currency. The remaining currency then stays attached to the player’s account.
European consumer authorities want companies to move away from practices that obscure the real cost of purchases or push consumers toward buying more currency than necessary.
The principles also cover information shown before purchases take place. Consumers should understand what they are buying, what it costs, and which conditions apply before completing a transaction.
Withdrawal Rights and Fair Terms Matter Too
Pricing is only one part of the EU’s approach.
The CPC Network also expects publishers to respect applicable consumer withdrawal rights and provide fair, understandable terms. Companies should avoid confusing language or systems that make it unnecessarily difficult for consumers to understand their rights.
Special attention is being placed on children and other vulnerable consumers.
Many of the games named in the action have large younger audiences or are easily accessible through mobile devices, consoles, and PCs. Regulators therefore want stronger safeguards around purchasing systems that could encourage impulsive spending.
More Games Could Face Scrutiny
The 11 games named in the latest action may not be the end of the EU’s enforcement efforts.
The CPC Network has encouraged other developers and publishers using aggressive microtransaction systems to review their own practices. Companies that rely heavily on premium currencies, bundles, or complicated exchange systems could therefore face additional scrutiny.
That could have wider consequences for the gaming industry.
Virtual currencies have become a major part of modern game monetization. They appear in mobile games, free-to-play releases, battle passes, live-service games, and even some full-price releases.
If European regulators continue pushing for clearer real-world pricing, publishers may need to redesign stores specifically for European consumers or introduce broader changes worldwide.
Microtransactions Face Growing Pressure in Europe
The latest action shows that European regulators are no longer treating in-game currencies as a minor part of the gaming market.
Publishers will increasingly need to show consumers exactly what they are spending. Complicated currency conversions, oversized bundles, unclear purchasing conditions, and systems aimed at encouraging additional spending are all receiving closer attention.
For players, the changes could eventually make in-game stores much easier to understand. Instead of working out how many premium gems, coins, points, or tokens equal a few euros, consumers could get much clearer information before opening their wallets.
With 11 major games now facing enforcement action, other publishers have another reason to examine their monetization systems before regulators do it for them.
