EU consumer authorities are going after how games sell currency
Most games sell a currency before they sell anything else, and the price of the thing you buy is never in money. European consumer authorities have decided that is a consumer law question, and have opened dialogues with nine publishers.
Where it stands
On 30 September 2026 the Consumer Protection Cooperation Network opened coordinated actions against nine games companies over in-game virtual currencies, naming nine games among them Minecraft, Valorant and Candy Crush Saga. Nothing is compelled yet: the Network opened a dialogue, and says national authorities may enforce if the concerns are not met. Video Games Europe and the European Game Developers Federation reject the legal classification of currencies and say the Network has not shared its legal basis.
| Who | Stage | What is alleged | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| The nine companies | Dialogue opened | Crytek, InnoGames, King, Mojang, Plarium, PLR Worldwide Sales, Riot Games, Supercell and Ubisoft are suspected of commercial practices that may breach EU consumer law in relation to in-game virtual currencies, in Candy Crush Saga, Clash of Clans, Forge of Empires, For Honor, Gardenscapes, Hunt: Showdown 1896, Mech Arena, Minecraft and Valorant. The register names each company by its European legal entity. | 2026 |
| Microsoft and Activision Blizzard | A separate action, still open | A coordinated action opened in early 2026 covers Call of Duty Mobile and Diablo Immortal, over in-game virtual currencies, the collection of consumer data, addictive design, preselected parental-control settings, direct exhortation to children, missing pre-contractual information and the unilateral blocking of accounts. It is a separate action from the nine above, and it is ongoing. | 2026 |
Timeline
2025
The CPC Network adopts key principles on in-game currencies
The Network, led by the Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets and the Norwegian Consumer Authority, adopts key principles on 21 March 2025: clear pricing and pre-contractual information, no hiding the cost of in-game content, no forcing a currency purchase, respect for the right of withdrawal, and regard for consumer vulnerabilities, children in particular.
European Commission, CPC coordinated actions register (read 5 October 2026)
2026
Nine companies are put under coordinated action
The Network opens coordinated actions against nine games companies on 30 September 2026 and publishes a Joint Statement on Stronger Consumer Protection in Video Games the same day. It says the dialogue the key principles opened with the industry had not produced satisfactory solutions, and that national authorities may take enforcement measures if its concerns are not met.
European Commission, CPC coordinated actions register (read 5 October 2026)
Objections
Counterpoint2026
The industry disputes the legal basis, not the transparency
Video Games Europe and the European Game Developers Federation say they were constructive on pricing transparency, refunds, bundles and the right of withdrawal, and that the disagreement is the classification of in-game currencies as digital representations of value. They say they asked for the legal basis in spring 2025 and have not been given it, and that they will implement the proposals once the legal uncertainty is resolved. Both are industry bodies speaking for their own members.
Counterpoint2026
A dialogue, not a decision
The key principles the Network is enforcing against are not themselves legally binding, and a coordinated action asks the companies to answer rather than ordering them to change. Enforcement would fall to national authorities under national law, and none has announced any. Stage is Emerging for that reason.
European Commission, CPC coordinated actions register (read 5 October 2026)
Further reading
- PrimarySocial media, online games and search enginescommission.europa.eu
- ReportingEurope's CPC targets King, Supercell, Mojang and others over virtual currenciespocketgamer.biz
- PrimaryIndustry's response to the CPC Network's non legally binding principles on in game currenciesdataspelsbranschen.se
Where to follow it European Commission consumer enforcement coordinated-actions register, Video Games Europe statements, the European Game Developers Federation, the Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets, the Norwegian Consumer Authority, GamesMarkt, PocketGamer.biz
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