Italy’s competition watchdog is leading a European investigation into Microsoft-owned video game businesses, including Activision Blizzard, amid concerns that virtual currencies used for digital purchases may prevent consumers from understanding how much they are spending.
The investigation, conducted alongside consumer protection authorities in Norway and Denmark, will examine whether the companies’ payment practices violate European Union consumer protection regulations, according to a report published Thursday by NewsBytes.
The regulatory action centers on the use of digital currencies that players purchase with real money and subsequently exchange for items such as character enhancements, cosmetic upgrades and virtual weapons.
Italy’s competition authority has raised concerns that pricing digital goods in proprietary currencies rather than euros can make it difficult for players to calculate their actual expenditure. The problem may be compounded when games require multiple currency conversions or sell digital tokens in predetermined bundles.
Such arrangements could pose particular risks for minors and consumers vulnerable to excessive gaming-related spending, according to a statement from the Italian Competition Authority.
The inquiry forms part of a broader European consumer protection initiative examining commercial practices across the video game industry. Authorities are seeking to determine whether the companies’ conduct amounts to a widespread infringement of EU rules affecting consumers in multiple member states.
Italy’s regulator will coordinate the investigation with its Norwegian and Danish counterparts under the EU’s Consumer Protection Cooperation framework, which enables national authorities to address potentially unlawful business practices that cross borders.
The latest action builds on earlier Italian investigations into Microsoft-owned gaming operations involving Diablo Immortal and Call of Duty Mobile. Those proceedings, initiated nationally in late 2025 and publicly announced in January 2026, examined concerns about potentially misleading purchasing mechanisms and consumer safeguards.
Regulators have also questioned whether certain game-design features encourage repeated purchases or make it harder for players to monitor spending. Other issues under examination include parental controls and the treatment of consumers whose gaming accounts are restricted.
The European initiative extends beyond Microsoft. Consumer authorities have also taken coordinated action involving other major gaming businesses as part of an effort to improve transparency around digital purchases and strengthen protections for younger players.
Microsoft was not immediately available for comment, according to NewsBytes, which reported the development Thursday.
The investigation does not establish that Microsoft or its gaming subsidiaries violated consumer protection laws. Authorities are examining the companies’ practices to determine whether further regulatory measures are warranted.
The proceedings underscore increasing European scrutiny of monetization models in video games, particularly systems that place virtual currencies between consumers and the real-world prices of digital products.
Read more: UK Competition Regulator Opens Microsoft 365 Subscription Probe
For Microsoft and other gaming publishers, the regulatory focus could bring additional pressure to make in-game pricing easier to understand and ensure consumers have clearer information before completing purchasesItaly’s competition watchdog is leading a European investigation into Microsoft-owned video game businesses, including Activision Blizzard, amid concerns that virtual currencies used for digital purchases may prevent consumers from understanding how much they are spending.
The investigation, conducted alongside consumer protection authorities in Norway and Denmark, will examine whether the companies’ payment practices violate European Union consumer protection regulations, according to a report published Thursday by NewsBytes.
The regulatory action centers on the use of digital currencies that players purchase with real money and subsequently exchange for items such as character enhancements, cosmetic upgrades and virtual weapons.
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Italy’s competition authority has raised concerns that pricing digital goods in proprietary currencies rather than euros can make it difficult for players to calculate their actual expenditure. The problem may be compounded when games require multiple currency conversions or sell digital tokens in predetermined bundles.
Such arrangements could pose particular risks for minors and consumers vulnerable to excessive gaming-related spending, according to a statement from the Italian Competition Authority.
The inquiry forms part of a broader European consumer protection initiative examining commercial practices across the video game industry. Authorities are seeking to determine whether the companies’ conduct amounts to a widespread infringement of EU rules affecting consumers in multiple member states.
Italy’s regulator will coordinate the investigation with its Norwegian and Danish counterparts under the EU’s Consumer Protection Cooperation framework, which enables national authorities to address potentially unlawful business practices that cross borders.
The latest action builds on earlier Italian investigations into Microsoft-owned gaming operations involving Diablo Immortal and Call of Duty Mobile. Those proceedings, initiated nationally in late 2025 and publicly announced in January 2026, examined concerns about potentially misleading purchasing mechanisms and consumer safeguards.
Regulators have also questioned whether certain game-design features encourage repeated purchases or make it harder for players to monitor spending. Other issues under examination include parental controls and the treatment of consumers whose gaming accounts are restricted.
The European initiative extends beyond Microsoft. Consumer authorities have also taken coordinated action involving other major gaming businesses as part of an effort to improve transparency around digital purchases and strengthen protections for younger players.
Microsoft was not immediately available for comment, according to NewsBytes, which reported the development Thursday.
The investigation does not establish that Microsoft or its gaming subsidiaries violated consumer protection laws. Authorities are examining the companies’ practices to determine whether further regulatory measures are warranted.
The proceedings underscore increasing European scrutiny of monetization models in video games, particularly systems that place virtual currencies between consumers and the real-world prices of digital products.
For Microsoft and other gaming publishers, the regulatory focus could bring additional pressure to make in-game pricing easier to understand and ensure consumers have clearer information before completing purchases.
Source: NewsBytes
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