Cognosphere, the U.S. publisher of the popular game Genshin Impact, has accepted charges from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The company has agreed to pay a hefty fine of $20 million and implement stringent measures to prevent minors under 16 from making in-game purchases without parental consent. This settlement comes after Cognosphere pleaded guilty to the FTC's allegations of violating the Children's Privacy Act and deceiving players about the true value and probability of obtaining rare in-game items. The FTC's accusations highlight how Genshin Impact misled children, teenagers, and other players, often leading them to spend substantial amounts of money on items with a low chance of acquisition.
Samuel Levin, Director of the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection, emphasized that companies using deceptive practices, known as dark patterns, will face repercussions, especially when they target vulnerable groups like children and teenagers by misrepresenting the value of in-game transactions.
In other gaming news, HoYoverse's Zenless Zone Zero continues to dominate the mobile gaming market. The game's latest update, version 1.4 titled "And the Starfall came," saw an unprecedented player spending peak of $8.6 million per day on mobile devices alone. This surpassed the previous record set during its initial release in July 2024. According to AppMagic, Zenless Zone Zero has now amassed over $265 million in total revenue from mobile platforms. The success of the 1.4 update can be attributed to the introduction of new agents like Hoshimi Miyabi and Asaba Harumasa, along with new locations, game modes, and enhanced mechanics, all of which have spurred increased player engagement and spending.
