Italy is looking into Microsoft's game sales tactics
Business
Italy's competition watchdog has started investigating Microsoft's Activision Blizzard over claims of "misleading and aggressive" sales tactics in Diablo Immortal and Call of Duty Mobile.
The focus is on how these games use constant pop-ups and push notifications to nudge players into buying time-limited rewards and virtual currency.
Why does it matter?
Regulators are especially worried about kids getting targeted, since default parental controls are insufficient, letting minors make in-game purchases and play for long periods without restraints.
There are also concerns that players are being pushed to share more personal data than they realize, which could break consumer protection rules.
This has prompted broader regulatory interest across Europe.