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Italian Regulator vs Activision Blizzard: A Plain-English Guide to the Investigations

UUnknown

2026-02-27

9 min read

Plain-English breakdown of Italy’s AGCM probes into Diablo Immortal and Call of Duty Mobile, what “misleading and aggressive” means, and likely outcomes.

Hook: Why you should care — and fast

If you play mobile games, the AGCM’s probes into Activision Blizzard’s Diablo Immortal and Call of Duty Mobile matter. Not because regulators love to argue with publishers, but because these investigations target the very tricks that make you spend more than you intended — especially if you’re a parent, a streamer who promotes purchases, or a competitor building a fair game.

The headline in plain English

Italy’s competition and consumer regulator, the Autorità Garante della Concorrenza e del Mercato (AGCM), has opened two formal probes into Activision Blizzard’s mobile titles. The AGCM says it’s looking at whether the games use “misleading and aggressive” sales practices — tactics that push players, including minors, to make in-game purchases without fully understanding what they’re buying, or how much it really costs.

“These practices, together with strategies that make it difficult for users to understand the real value of the virtual currency used in the game and the sale of in-game currency in bundles, may influence players as consumers — including minors — leading them to spend significant amounts...” — AGCM press release (Jan 2026)

What the AGCM is actually investigating (made simple)

Regulators are not accusing the games of being illegal by default. They’re asking specific questions about how the games are designed and marketed. Think of it as a checklist:

Dark patterns and pressure mechanics: Do countdown timers, “limited-time” flashes, or rewards that disappear push people into immediate purchases?
Obfuscation of value: Is the virtual currency (the game’s “coins” or “gems”) sold in confusing bundles that make it hard to know how much real money you’re spending per item?
Targeting minors: Are reward loops and social prompts designed to hook younger players who don’t fully understand money?
Pay-to-progress hooks: Do purchases become necessary to progress or enjoy the game, despite it being advertised as “free-to-play”?

Why Italy — and why now

Regulators across Europe have been increasingly focused on gaming monetization since the late 2010s. By late 2025 and early 2026, regulators are no longer asking whether microtransactions exist — they’re asking how transparent, fair, and safe those systems are.

The AGCM enforces both competition rules and Italy’s consumer protection laws, which prohibit unfair, misleading, or aggressive commercial practices. When a game nudges players into spending without clear information, that can fall into the regulator’s remit.

Examples of the alleged practices — what they look like in-game

To make this concrete, here are typical examples regulators flagged across multiple probes (and which the AGCM specifically mentioned in its move against Activision Blizzard):

Countdown scarcity: A special offer with a ticking timer that resets or reappears, prompting hurried purchases.
Reward gating: Events that hand out big rewards only if you spend or buy the “premium” path.
Currency bundles: Sell 1,000 virtual coins for $9.99 and 11,000 for $99.99 without showing unit price — customers can’t easily compare.
Opaque RNG: Loot or crate systems where you don’t know the odds of getting a specific, valuable item.
Design nudges toward kids: Bright animations, social pressure mechanics, and congratulatory sounds tied to spending behavior.

How Activision Blizzard’s games fit into this

Diablo Immortal and Call of Duty Mobile are both high-revenue mobile games that mix free-to-play access with in-app purchases — cosmetics, progression boosts, battle passes, and currency bundles. The AGCM’s public statement singled out tactics that could push players, including minors, to spend large sums — in some cases referring to in-game currency bundles that can cost up to $200 per purchase.

What “misleading and aggressive” means under the law

In plain language:

Misleading = giving players incomplete or confusing information so they don’t know what they’re paying for or how much it costs in real money.
Aggressive = using pressure tactics that remove or reduce a player’s ability to make a free, informed choice — for example, dark patterns, persistent prompts, or designs that exploit impulsivity.

Legal tests usually look at the average consumer — would a reasonable person, or a parent deciding for a child, be misled or unduly pressured? If yes, the practice may be illegal.

What could happen next — four realistic outcomes

Investigations like this can end in different ways. Here are the plausible scenarios and what they mean for players and the industry.

1) Light touch: formal reprimand + guidance

AGCM issues recommendations and asks Activision Blizzard to change certain UI elements and disclosure practices without heavy fines. The company complies and rolls out clearer pricing displays and improved parental warnings. Result: players see better transparency; publishers get a roadmap to fix design issues.

2) Medium outcome: fines + mandated changes

AGCM finds violations and imposes fines, plus orders to remove specific mechanics (countdown pressure, opaque bundles) or to add mandatory disclosures and refund options. Result: immediate relief for consumers in Italy; other EU regulators may copy the approach.

3) Aggressive enforcement: product changes or restrictions in Italy

If the AGCM finds that certain monetization practices are unlawful, it might order the games to alter or disable those features within the Italian market. Publishers could offer separate builds for Italy or temporarily block problematic purchases. Result: fast consumer protections but operational headaches for studios and app stores.

4) Precedent and EU-wide rulemaking

A decisive AGCM ruling could spur EU-level harmonization: stronger consumer rules, mandatory spending caps for minors, forced odds disclosures for randomized rewards, or an EU ban on some aggressive dark patterns. Because Italy's regulator is influential, other European authorities often follow.

What this means for players — immediate and long-term

Here’s what you can expect and steps you can take today:

More transparency: clearer conversion rates and item prices, and visible odds for any random rewards.
Safer experiences for minors: stronger parental controls, spending limits, and possibly age verification for certain purchases.
Potential refunds or credits: if AGCM rules purchases were misleading, there could be reimbursement windows or in-game credits.
Less pressure to pay: some timed or high-pressure offers could be removed or reworked.

Actionable steps players should take now

Check your purchase history in Google Play, Apple App Store and within each game — note unexpected or recurring charges.
Enable device-level purchase authentication (biometric or PIN) and remove saved payment methods if you share a device.
Set up monthly budgets or use prepaid cards to limit impulsive buys.
If you believe you were misled, keep screenshots and receipts; file a complaint with national consumer authorities (in Italy: AGCM) or your platform provider.
Follow reputable sources and the game’s official support channels for announcements about refunds or policy changes.

What this means for developers, publishers and creators

Regulatory scrutiny is a compliance and design sprint. Big publishers and indies alike should treat the AGCM probes as a wake-up call to future-proof monetization:

Audit UI/UX for dark patterns. Remove deceptive timers, misleading defaults, and confusing currency bundles.
Disclose value clearly. Show the real-money price per unit and item-level prices, not only bundled credits.
Publish odds for randomized rewards. This is already common in many jurisdictions and reduces legal risk.
Implement age checks and parental controls. Provide easy spending caps, self-exclusion, and refund flows.
Train marketing and creators. Ensure influencer and streamer promotions clearly disclose paid offers and don’t push minors to buy.

Practical checklist for studio legal and product teams

Run a dark-pattern audit across mobile flows and live ops prompts.
Map all currency conversions and show unit prices everywhere purchases are offered.
Document RNG odds and make them discoverable in the UI or support pages.
Introduce default spending limits and an easy parental control toggle on first-run.
Prepare a public compliance roadmap and customer remediation plan in case of regulator action.

Wider industry implications (2026 and beyond)

Regulators in 2025–2026 are transitioning from investigation to enforcement. Two big trends to watch:

Standardization: Expect standardized disclosure rules across the EU within a few years. Publishers who adapt early will save money and reputational risk.
Design shift: Some studios will pivot to alternate monetization — battle passes with transparent paywalls, subscriptions, or cosmetic-only stores with clear odds and prices.

For esports and creators, the ripple effects are significant. If randomized monetization or “pay-to-progress” hooks are restricted, content creators will pivot to subscription and sponsorship models, and teams will adjust revenue forecasts accordingly.

How likely is a big change across Europe?

Italy’s AGCM is influential, but a single national decision isn’t an automatic EU ban. Still, the cumulative effect of national rulings and EU consumer policy momentum in late 2025 suggests a high chance of stricter rules across Europe within 2–3 years. Publishers are already preparing multi-market compliance strategies.

Quick FAQ — Your top questions answered

Will my purchases be refunded?

Not automatically. If the AGCM finds those purchases were made under misleading conditions, it can order remediation, including refunds or credits. Keep receipts and screenshots — they help.

Will Diablo Immortal or CoD Mobile be banned in Italy?

Unlikely. Regulators typically order changes or fines, not outright bans. However, temporary restrictions on specific features are possible while compliance fixes are implemented.

Does this matter to players outside Italy?

Yes. A strong Italian ruling can set a precedent, and publishers often roll changes out globally rather than maintain separate regional builds. Expect transparency features to spread across markets.

Final take: Why this matters for the gaming community

At its best, gaming is about skill, creativity, and community — not exploitation. The AGCM probes are part of a broader push to realign monetization with those values. For players, it’s a chance to get fairer, clearer games. For devs and publishers, it’s a reminder that clever design must respect consumer rights and long-term trust.

Actionable next steps

Players: audit your in-app purchases, enable purchase protections, and report suspicious practices to consumer authorities.
Parents: set spending limits, talk about microtransactions with kids, and require purchase authentication on shared devices.
Developers: run compliance audits now — don’t wait for a regulator to force changes.

Stay informed — and take part

This story will evolve through 2026 as AGCM completes its probes and other European regulators react. We’ll track rulings, remediation steps, and any refunds or product changes. If you’ve been affected — or you’re a developer with best-practice tips — share your experience in the comments or submit evidence to your national consumer authority.

Call to action: Keep up with fast-moving regulatory news — follow thegames.pro for live updates, deep dives, and practical guides on how rulings like this affect your play, purchases, and streaming income.

Unknown

Contributor

Senior editor and content strategist. Writing about technology, design, and the future of digital media. Follow along for deep dives into the industry's moving parts.