AK warns against free online games in Austria
According to a research report from the University of Graz, supported by the Styrian Chamber of Labor, 65 percent of children and young people already have money for seemingly free things Online games issued. The report titled “Insert Coin to Continue” was recently unveiled. Markus Meschik, the author of the study, said that a few spend a lot of money on these games. This business is very profitable for video game manufacturers, but it poses a danger to young people.
In app stores there are many games that are called “free-to-play” are advertised and attract children and young people, such as Clash Royale or Fortnite. A survey of around 2600 ten to 19-year-olds in Austria showed that 85 percent of them had played games where you could spend money while playing. This type of spending is called “in-game purchases”.
65 percent of those surveyed said they had already spent money on such games. In the last twelve months it is said to have been 41 percent, with boys (59 percent) particularly affected. Markus Meschik, who prepared the report, says that it is normal to spend money on these games these days. The average spending of players is around 170 euros per year. However, only a few players pay a lot of money, while the majority spend less.
The loot boxes are particularly problematic
Virtual treasure chests that seem promising, but whose contents are not known beforehand, also known as loot boxes. These games suggest coincidence, but in reality they are based on algorithmic decisions. The free games are very profitable for the manufacturers because they use mechanisms to get players to take action, such as manipulative tricks that subconsciously trick players into spending money. In addition to dark patterns, the expectation of profits and peer pressure were also cited as the main reasons for the spending.
Markus Meschik and Josef Pesserl, the President of the Styrian Chamber of Labor, presented some demands together. They see a worrying development for children and young people. One of their demands is a ban on “Loot boxes“, similar to what has already happened in Belgium. They also propose raising the minimum age for purchasing such games to 18 and increasing the barriers to in-game purchases. A possible measure would be one Cool-down phase immediately after a purchase, meaning there is some delay before another purchase can be made. Markus Meschik explains that even a short break can help break the impulse to buy and prevent addictive behavior.
