Cognosphere, the U.S. publisher behind the popular game Genshin Impact, has accepted charges levied by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC). As part of the settlement, Cognosphere has agreed to pay $20 million in damages and will prohibit minors under the age of 16 from making in-game purchases without parental consent. The company entered a guilty plea to the FTC's charges, which included accusations of deceiving players about the true value of in-game purchases and the probability of obtaining rare items. These deceptive practices violated the Children's Privacy Act, leading children, teenagers, and other players to spend significant 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 dark patterns to mislead players, especially children and teenagers, about the value of in-game transactions will face repercussions.
In contrast, HoYoverse's other game, Zenless Zone Zero, continues to thrive in the mobile gaming market. With the release of the version 1.4 update, titled "And the Starfall came," the game achieved a record-breaking daily player spend of $8.6 million on mobile devices alone. This surpassed the previous peak set during the game's July 2024 release. According to AppMagic, Zenless Zone Zero has already amassed over $265 million in total revenue from mobile platforms. The success of the 1.4 update, which introduced new agents such as Hoshimi Miyabi and Asaba Harumasa, along with new locations, modes, and enhanced game mechanics, has significantly boosted player engagement and spending.
