An EU consumer watchdog organization has submitted a complaint to EU authorities regarding the use of premium currency in games, which the organization says "maximizes consumers' spending" and constitutes "manipulative spending tactics".
In a press release summarizing the complaint, BEUC (Bureau Européen des Unions de Consommateurs, otherwise known as the European Consumer Organization) says games like Fortnite, EA Sports FC, and Minecraft engage in "unfair practices" via their premium currency systems.
The group's director general, Agustín Reyna, says the group has "identified numerous cases where gamers are misled into spending money", and that "deceptive practices must be stopped". BEUC is calling on the EU to "ensure that traders play by the rules" and provide safe environments for gamers and children.
BEUC says it's identified four main problem areas with regards to premium currency in gaming.
The first is that consumers "cannot see the real cost of digital items" when premium currency is sold in bundles or the price of the currency is not transparent. The group therefore recommends all in-game purchases be displayed in real-money terms.
According to the group, companies that claim players prefer in-game currency "are wrong"; BEUC says its data shows consumers "find this unnecessary...
