Ireland’s Competition and Consumer Protection Commission said Oct. 1 that EU consumer authorities have opened coordinated investigations into nine game companies—including the makers of Minecraft and Candy Crush—over in-game purchases, virtual currencies, pricing transparency, withdrawal rights, and protections for children.
EU in-game currency probe targets Minecraft and Candy Crush
The action runs through the European Commission’s Consumer Protection Cooperation (CPC) Network after industry talks last year failed to deliver what regulators call satisfactory fixes, according to the CCPC press release and The Irish Times. Firms named include King.com Operations (Candy Crush Saga), Mojang AB (Minecraft), Supercell Oy (Clash of Clans), Riot Games Limited (Valorant), Ubisoft EMEA SAS (For Honor), plus Crytek, InnoGames, Plarium, and PLR Worldwide Sales. Games under scrutiny also include Hunt: Showdown 1896, Forge of Empires, Mech Arena, and Gardenscapes.
What regulators say must change
Investigators are focusing on clear real-world pricing for virtual currencies; ending currency exchanges that obscure costs; stopping pressure to buy excess currency to progress; pre-purchase information; a 14-day withdrawal right for unused virtual currency; fair terms; and safeguards for children and vulnerable players. CCPC Commission Member Geoffrey Gray said millions of European gamers—many of them children—should not be “misled about costs, pressured into making purchases, or left unclear about their rights.”
Separately, the CPC Network is engaging Activision Blizzard UK (Microsoft group) over Diablo Immortal and Call of Duty on virtual currencies, data collection, potentially addictive design, parental controls, marketing to children, and account blocking. Gamers following platform news may also recall our coverage of Fortnite’s Five Nights at Freddy’s crossover and consumer-tech product launches such as Legato AI hearing glasses.
Why it matters for studios and parents
If the network forces clearer euro pricing and easier refunds, publishers that built monetization around opaque token packs could face redesigns across the EU market. Parents monitoring spending on Minecraft cosmetics or Candy Crush boosters gain a stronger legal frame for complaints. Outcomes will hinge on each company’s response; the CCPC framed the probe as enforcement, not a finished finding of guilt. For broader AI and product-risk oversight context, see the FTC’s OpenAI and Anthropic probe.
Sources: CCPC; The Irish Times; ACM Netherlands.