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What the coordinated action covers
The European Commission says the Consumer Protection Cooperation (CPC) Network, coordinated by the Commission, has begun dialogue with nine companies over practices connected to virtual currencies. The companies and games identified are:
| Company | Game named in the action |
|---|---|
| Crytek GmbH | Hunt: Showdown 1896 |
| InnoGames GmbH | Forge of Empires |
| King.com Limited | Candy Crush Saga |
| Mojang AB | Minecraft |
| Plarium Europe | Mech Arena |
| PLR Worldwide Sales Limited | Gardenscapes |
| Riot Games Limited | Valorant |
| Supercell Oy | Clash of Clans |
| Ubisoft EMEA SAS | For Honor |
The Commission and Ireland’s Competition and Consumer Protection Commission describe the issues as suspected or potential breaches of consumer-protection rules. The Commission says national authorities may take enforcement measures if companies do not address the concerns. The separate CPC Network engagement with Microsoft and Activision Blizzard mentioned in the Commission’s communications is not part of this nine-company action. (European Commission; CCPC, 1 October 2026)
Why virtual-currency design is under scrutiny
Virtual currency is digital value bought with real-world money and then spent on in-game content or services. The CPC Network’s March 2025 principles say that existing consumer-protection rules apply to these transactions too; they are non-exhaustive guidance, not a new blanket ban on virtual currencies. (CPC Network principles, 21 March 2025)
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The practical question is whether a player can understand what a purchase costs in real money before committing. A player may see a price in coins, gems or another unit rather than euros, and may need to buy currency in bundles or convert it through more than one currency layer. Those steps can obscure an item’s real price. Bundle sizes that do not match item prices can also leave players with a surplus or force them to purchase more than they need.
The principles point toward a transparent purchase path:
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- Show the real-world cost. Prices for items bought with purchasable currency should be clear and understandable in real-world money, including when currency is acquired indirectly.
- Avoid obscuring conversions. Multiple currencies or exchanges should not make it difficult to work out the actual cost.
- Let players choose an appropriate amount. Currency bundles should not create a mismatch that forces consumers to spend more than required when purchasing an item.
- Explain the transaction before purchase. Required information includes the product or service’s characteristics, the trader’s identity and contact details, price, payment and delivery details, legal-guarantee information, and withdrawal conditions.
What the principles say about refunds and terms
Applicable withdrawal rights must be explained and, where they apply, can be exercised within 14 days. That is not an unconditional 14-day refund guarantee for every in-game or digital-content purchase. For digital content, a consumer can lose the withdrawal right when they expressly consent to immediate use and acknowledge that the right will be lost. The CPC principles separately caution that unused virtual currency should not simply be excluded from withdrawal rights.
Terms for virtual currency and the game content bought with it should be plain, clear and fair, and cannot remove statutory consumer rights. The principles flag concerns such as one-sided rights to alter or remove purchased currency or content, or to suspend or ban an account without a way to contest the reason.
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Children and other vulnerable consumers are part of the issue
The CCPC identifies safeguards for children and other vulnerable consumers among the matters being examined. The CPC principles say protection should account for consumers a practice may reach, not only the group a trader intended to target. In a game used by children as well as adults, clear prices, fair purchase design and understandable terms matter beyond the person who designed or initiated a transaction.
Geoffrey Gray, a Commission Member at Ireland’s CCPC, said consumers should be able to enjoy games “without being misled about costs, pressured into making purchases, or left unclear about their rights.” The CCPC says the network had earlier held talks with industry federations, followed by a large-scale market check after those talks did not produce satisfactory solutions for consumers. BEUC says the coordinated actions followed a complaint filed in 2024 by consumer organisations in its network. (CCPC; BEUC, 30 September 2026)
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What players should take from the announcement
The action makes clear which standards consumer authorities are examining, but it does not announce a final ruling against the nine companies. For players, the useful test is whether a purchase screen and its terms let them answer these questions before spending:
- How much does the item or currency cost in real money?
- Does the purchase involve one currency or several conversions?
- Can I buy the amount I need without being forced into an unnecessary surplus?
- What are the withdrawal conditions, and what consent would waive a right?
- Can the company change or remove purchased value, and how can I challenge an account action?
The standards come from the CPC Network’s published principles; the coordinated action now moves through dialogue with the companies. If concerns are not addressed, national authorities may consider enforcement under applicable consumer law.
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