The EU's Consumer Protection Cooperation (CPC) Network launched coordinated enforcement action against nine video games companies on 30 September 2026, targeting practices around in-game virtual currency.

The CPC Network brings together national consumer authorities across the EU's 27 member states under Regulation (EC) No 2006/2004, with the European Commission acting as coordinator. Coordinated actions — the network's primary instrument for cross-border issues — let multiple authorities move in lockstep on a shared concern rather than pursuing fragmented national cases. The Commission has used the same procedure on airline pricing, sustainability claims, and online marketplace terms.

Why is in-game currency under EU consumer law?

In-game currency systems sit at the intersection of consumer protection law and digital goods commerce. The mechanics regulators typically scrutinise include conversion rates between fiat and virtual balances, expiration windows on purchased tokens, the structure of bundled offers that obscure per-unit pricing, and refund handling when consumers dispute charges. The CPC Network's remit covers misleading commercial practices under the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive, which applies to digital services sold to EU consumers regardless of where the publisher is incorporated.

How does a CPC coordinated action work?

A coordinated action begins when the Commission identifies a common consumer harm across several member states. National authorities then issue aligned requests to companies in scope. Companies usually receive a defined window to respond, adjust practices, or face formal enforcement. Outcomes range from agreed remediation to fines, depending on national law and the company's response posture.

What changes for studios running live-service titles?

For publishers with virtual currency stores, the 30 September action is a procedural reminder that monetisation systems fall within established EU consumer protection. Studios shipping titles with hard currency, soft currency, or premium balances should review:

• Disclosure of conversion rates before, during, and after purchase
• Expiration or devaluation policies on paid balances
• Pricing transparency for bundled items that mix currency with cosmetic or gameplay content
• Refund and complaint workflows, particularly for unauthorised purchases by minors

Monetisation teams will want to confirm that storefront disclosures match what regulators are most likely to scrutinise. Customer support operations should calibrate complaint handling to the response windows national consumer authorities typically apply.

Which companies are in scope?

The CPC Network has not published the list of nine companies, and the 30 September announcement does not name titles or currencies under review. EU consumer authorities typically send formal notifications via each company's national lead authority, so the first public confirmation will likely come from company-side disclosures or follow-up national statements.

What to watch next

Two signals are worth tracking. The first is whether any named publisher publishes a compliance statement or updates storefront disclosures within the next several weeks — a standard pattern after CPC actions conclude. The second is the European Commission's publication of the common position setting out the consumer harms identified, which usually follows the launch of a coordinated action within a short window. Until then, studios across the EU live-service market should treat the 30 September action as a working assumption that virtual currency mechanics are firmly in regulators' line of sight.