Italy’s competition authority, the AGCM, just launched two major investigations into Microsoft-owned Activision Blizzard. The focus is on two massive mobile hits: Diablo Immortal and Call of Duty: Mobile. Regulators believe these games use “misleading and aggressive” tactics to push players into spending real money.
The AGCM claims the games rely on sneaky interface designs. These designs aim to keep people playing longer and more often than they might want to. While playing, the game constantly reminds you to buy stuff. You might see a countdown for a limited-time item or a message telling you to “act now” before a reward disappears. These notifications don’t just stay inside the game, either; they pop up on your phone even when you aren’t playing, nudging you to jump back in.
Another big issue involves how the games handle money. By using virtual gems, points, or coins, developers make it very difficult for players to track how much actual cash they are burning through. Regulators also pointed out that the default settings for kids are way too open. Right now, the games often allow unlimited screen time and let players buy items without first asking for permission. The AGCM thinks these default settings should be much stricter to protect families.
The watchdog is also looking at how these games handle basic consumer rights. In the European Union, people usually have a 14-day window to cancel a digital purchase. However, the AGCM thinks these games might be tricking players into giving up those rights without realizing it.
While a standard game like Diablo IV charges a flat fee upfront, “free-to-play” titles rely on frequent small purchases to remain profitable. Critics argue this turns gaming into a “pay-to-win” experience where the person with the biggest wallet wins the most battles. To show how fast this adds up, one Diablo Immortal player famously spent $100,000 to power up his character. Italy now wants to decide if these business models cross a legal line.
