Europe simply isn’t messing around when it comes to the backlash against loot boxes and gambling in gaming. Hot on the heels of Belgium dragging some of the biggest titles in the industry into the mire, Norway has got in on the act, reporting Sony, Valve, Nintendo and EA for breaching European consumer law.
As reported by GameIndustry.biz, the digital branches of the four behemoths have come under scrutiny thanks to a survey conducted by the Norwegian Consumer Council. In it, Nintendo were chided for their inability to offer refunds on the Switch eShop, a feature which is still missing as of writing. Sony, Valve and EA’s online stores are also under fire for not allowing consumers a 14-day grace period to have a product refunded, a necessity under European law.
Finn Lutzow-Holm Myrstad, director of digital services at the Norwegian Consumer Council released a statement damning the four companies, stating “they do not exist in a lawless vacuum” as well as saying that they must “observe laws and rules and honor consumer rights just like everyone else.”
It is clear, judging by reactions from government branches and the like, that these companies have gotten away with skirting the regulations for far too long though. We appear to be reaching what may only be the first stage of sanctions against the likes of EA and Valve.
For now, none of the publishing quartet have responded to the actions of the Norwegian Consumer Council but, one thing is for sure, this battle is bound to be a protracted one, and is almost certain to define the gaming landscape for years to come. Watch this space.
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