techcrunch.com
Italy’s competition authority (AGCM) has launched two investigations into Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard, focusing on the mobile games Diablo Immortal and Call of Duty Mobile. The regulator alleges the company uses "misleading and aggressive" design elements that push players, particularly children, to make in-app purchases and play for extended periods.
The AGCM criticized the games for obscuring the real value of virtual currency and creating pressure through limited-time rewards. The investigation also targets privacy issues, noting that default settings allow minors to chat and spend without restrictions, and that the sign-up process allegedly manipulates users into granting broad data permissions. Officials suspect these practices violate consumer protection laws.
