The European Union has not banned video game microtransactions, and the European Commission has not found Ubisoft or Activision Blizzard liable. Instead, the EU’s Consumer Protection Cooperation (CPC) Network is examining specific commercial practices in two separate, ongoing coordinated actions. One includes Ubisoft and For Honor and focuses on virtual-currency practices; the other concerns Microsoft Corporation and Activision Blizzard games and a broader range of consumer-protection issues.
What does the EU action involve?
The European Commission says national consumer-protection authorities working through the CPC Network launched coordinated actions concerning practices in videogames. The Commission describes the practices as suspected of potentially breaching EU consumer law. These actions involve scrutiny and engagement with the companies, not a final court judgment or a declaration that the companies have broken the law.
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The headline phrase “declares war” is therefore figurative. The official account describes case-specific consumer-protection scrutiny, with possible national enforcement measures if concerns are not addressed. It does not establish that microtransactions as a category are unlawful.
How do the Ubisoft and Microsoft/Activision Blizzard actions differ?
The Commission lists the companies and games in separate actions. The concerns listed for Microsoft and Activision Blizzard extend beyond virtual currency, so the two actions should not be treated as one case or as identical allegations.
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| Action | Companies and games named | Practices identified | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nine-company coordinated action | Ubisoft EMEA SAS is among the named companies; For Honor is one of the games in focus. | Practices related to in-game virtual currencies. | Ongoing, according to the Commission’s coordinated-actions page. |
| Separate coordinated action launched in early 2026 | Microsoft Corporation and Activision Blizzard; Call of Duty Mobile and Diablo Immortal. | Virtual-currency use and sales; collection of consumer data; addictive design; preselected parental-control settings; direct exhortation to children; missing pre-contractual information; and unilateral account blocking. | Ongoing, according to the Commission’s coordinated-actions page. |
Are video game microtransactions illegal in the EU?
The Commission’s materials do not describe a blanket ban on microtransactions or virtual currencies. They set out consumer-protection principles relevant to how in-game currency and content are presented and sold, and they describe scrutiny of particular practices. Whether a specific practice breaches the law depends on the facts and applicable consumer-protection rules; the ongoing actions are not themselves a final finding.
What consumer-protection principles are relevant?
The CPC Network’s key principles, published on 21 March 2025, explain how consumer-protection legislation applies to in-game virtual currencies. They are non-exhaustive guidance, not a standalone prohibition on all virtual currencies or a judgment in either coordinated action.
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- Transparent prices and information before purchase: Consumers should be able to understand the price of game content and the relevant terms before they commit.
- No hidden costs or forced currency purchases: The principles address practices that conceal what content costs or require consumers to buy virtual currency in order to obtain it.
- Withdrawal rights: The principles address consumers’ rights of withdrawal in the context of virtual-currency purchases.
- Protection of vulnerable consumers: The principles give particular attention to children and other consumers who may be more vulnerable to commercial practices.
A stakeholder workshop on 3 June 2025 discussed how the principles apply. The Commission says the work was led by the Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets and the Norwegian Consumer Authority, with participation from consumer authorities, game companies, consumer organisations, European Consumer Centres, academics and other experts.
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What could happen next?
The Commission says the actions are ongoing. If CPC authorities’ concerns remain unresolved, they may consider national enforcement measures. The Commission’s page does not report a final liability finding or remedy against Ubisoft, Microsoft or Activision Blizzard in these actions. The procedural position may change as authorities and companies continue their work.
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For players, the practical distinction is between a consumer-protection standard and an enforcement outcome: the published principles describe expectations for commercial practices, while the coordinated actions examine whether specific practices raise concerns under consumer law. Neither, on the information reported by the Commission, amounts to a blanket ban or a final ruling against the companies.
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