European consumer regulators are taking action against ten game companies over how they price in-game virtual currency. The list includes Activision Blizzard, Riot Games, Ubisoft and Mojang, and the core complaint is one players have raised for two decades: currency packs that never match the price of the item you want.
The Consumer Protection Cooperation (CPC) Network, which links national consumer authorities with the European Commission, announced the coordinated action on September 30. According to Kotaku, Italy’s competition authority is leading the effort.
Who the in-game virtual currency action targets
Nine companies face coordinated action: Crytek, InnoGames, King, Mojang, Plarium, Playrix, Riot Games, Supercell and Ubisoft. After a market check, regulators flagged specific games for further assessment. They include Valorant, Minecraft, Candy Crush Saga, Clash of Clans, For Honor, Hunt: Showdown 1896, Forge of Empires, Mech Arena and Gardenscapes.
Activision Blizzard is handled in a separate, parallel case. That one covers Diablo Immortal and Call of Duty Mobile. In that case, regulators are also examining data collection, addictive design, default parental controls and account blocking.
The problem with leftover in-game virtual currency
The complaint centres on a familiar setup. A store sells currency in fixed bundles, but items cost slightly different amounts. As a result, players either overspend or end up with a balance they can’t use.
The CPC Network’s statement describes the issue directly. “In-game purchases (such as cosmetic upgrades and weapon upgrade packs) are often priced in currencies other than euros, but ultimately involve a payment in euros, either directly or indirectly, via multiple virtual currencies,” it reads. The statement adds that this comes with “other game-design mechanisms (such as selling virtual currency in bundles), the use of dark patterns, inadequate parental controls, and a lack of assistance when accounts are blocked.”
Regulators want players to see the real-world price of any in-game virtual currency or digital item. They also want games to stop pushing users to buy more currency than a purchase requires.
Why Fortnite is not on the list
Epic Games moved before the announcement. Starting this month, Fortnite players can buy the exact amount of V-Bucks needed for a specific purchase. However, that option does not apply on PlayStation.
Many large publishers have already dropped mismatched bundles. Still, the practice persists across live service and mobile games, and regulators named Call of Duty as one example.
What happens next
The action builds on a set of principles for in-game virtual currency that the CPC Network published in March 2025. In its new joint statement, the network said that “a high number of video game companies” had made no substantive changes since then, despite talks with industry groups.
The companies now have to respond to the concerns. If they don’t, national authorities can move to formal enforcement. Industry body Video Games Europe has publicly pushed back on the action.
Meanwhile, the case is part of a wider push by regulators against monetization practices in games. Earlier this year, age rating bodies began adjusting ratings for gambling-like mechanics, and courts have weighed in on the question of digital ownership.