European Commission investigates 10 game companies over microtransactions and virtual currency
The European Commission and EU consumer watchdogs have launched a coordinated enforcement action against ten game companies.
- Ubisoft, Activision Blizzard and Mojang are explicitly named in the available reporting; Bungie is also mentioned in the context of virtual currency such as Silver.
- The focus is on in-game currency, bundles and pricing practices that may make it hard for players to see the real cost of purchases.
What happened
According to the available reporting, the European Commission, together with the European Consumer Protection Cooperation network, has opened a coordinated action against game companies that may be violating EU consumer law. The summaries currently available refer to ten companies, although another source in the same cluster mentions nine. That discrepancy has not yet been fully clarified.
The articles explicitly name Ubisoft, Activision Blizzard and Mojang. Bungie also appears in the context of virtual currency, with examples such as V-Bucks and Destiny 2’s Silver. The investigation appears to center on the sale of in-game currency and bundles, and on whether players can clearly see what digital purchases cost in euros.
The sources describe the action as an investigation into purchasing practices and price display, with attention to situations where players must buy currency in fixed bundles rather than the exact amount needed. Some summaries also refer more broadly to concerns about dark patterns and transparency around virtual currency.
Timeline
2024: according to external context, consumer organizations filed a complaint that later helped trigger the action.
2026-10-01: RTÉ reported that European authorities were investigating online game companies and looking at how clearly the real cost of in-game purchases and virtual currency is shown.
2026-10-11: the European Commission and the CPC network announced, according to the available sources, a coordinated enforcement action against game companies; the cluster refers to ten companies involved.
2026-10-11: reporting names Ubisoft, Activision Blizzard and Mojang as companies covered by the action.
Background
The available sources place the case in the broader debate over virtual currency in games, where prices are often shown in coins, gems or other digital units instead of directly in euros. One external summary specifically notes that regulators are looking at bundles that do not match an item’s price exactly, forcing players to buy more currency than they need.
The external context also indicates that the action stems from a complaint by consumer organizations and that the European Commission is working with the CPC network of national consumer authorities. Based on the information available, it is still unclear which formal steps have been taken or which companies are included in the full list.