The hidden high costs of 'free-to-play' video games show players need better protection, scientists say

Study reveals free-to-play video games mimic gambling spending patterns

​Digital media, including videogames, are a central part of leisure activities for many adolescents and adults.

The hidden high costs of 'free-to-play' video games show players need better protection, scientists say

Digital media, including videogames, are a central part of leisure activities for many adolescents and adults. For more than a decade, the industry has increasingly relied on highly profitable financing models in which games can be played free of charge ("free-to-play" games), while additional purchases are offered through so-called microtransactions. As the industry repeatedly emphasizes, these purchases are voluntary.

Scientists warn free-to-play games hide high costs, urging stronger player

Free-to-play videogames are not as “free” as they appear. A new study of adolescents finds that a small minority of players accounts for most spending on in-game purchases, while also showing higher rates of symptoms associated with gaming disorder and gambling disorder. The findings suggest that the economics of modern videogames may be relying disproportionately […]