Italy's competition and market authority has opened an investigation into publisher Activision Blizzard, citing concerns about the company's monetization practices. The regulator published details of the probe on its official channels, saying it will examine whether certain commercial tactics harm consumers.
The authority singled out two mobile titles — Diablo Immortal and Call of Duty: Mobile — as the focus of the inquiry. Investigators say both games employ what they describe as aggressive monetization methods, including in-game prompts and external push notifications that pressure players to buy items advertised as available for a limited time.
Regulators also flagged the use of in-game currency and price displays denominated in that currency, arguing that such presentation can obscure the real-world cost of purchases and mislead consumers about value for money. The concern is that this practice might prevent players from understanding how much they are actually spending.
Another area under scrutiny is parental controls. The authority noted that default settings in the cited games do not block in-game purchases and do not impose limits on play time, which may leave minors exposed to unintentional spending. In addition, investigators expressed doubts about account suspension rules that allow the publisher to block accounts without providing sufficient justification, a measure that could result in players losing access to paid content or virtual goods.
The action follows earlier regulatory pressure in Europe: the regional ratings body previously imposed a fine on Activision Blizzard related to loot boxes in Diablo Immortal. The new Italian probe does not presuppose wrongdoing; it aims to establish whether the company's practices comply with national consumer protection and competition laws.
The investigation is ongoing. The authority will review evidence and may require the publisher to provide information, after which it could take further regulatory or enforcement steps depending on its findings. Activision Blizzard has not announced any formal response to the inquiry at this time.