European Commission plans to ban Free-to-Play games that are not actually free

[vivster]

globalisateur said:

vivster said:

globalisateur said:

vivster said:

You really don't get the psychology of regular kids, do you?

Many kids on Internet are like attracted like a magnet by everything "free"  (mostly games), like I said, they are easy targets. 

Of course a "regular" intelligent and experienced adult (or even most smart kids) will not be tricked by the bullshit "free" marketing.

As kids will not be tricked by the "this is not free" label.

If kids have no trouble using the credit cards of their parents they don't have trouble buying games that are not labeled as "free". Also they probably won't ban the phrase "download for free" so everyone will still be getting the games.

Ok. You just don't grasp the whole picture. Seen that way, you may be right BUT.

The problem we are talking is really game addiction among kids. It's a similar problem than cigarettes and alcohool addiction. You have to have laws to strictly regulate dangerous products for the public. And this kind of law is just the beginning (I hope), really.

A "free to play" game can lead to game addiction with serious financial consequences for the parents in this case (and also for the kid with his relation with money etc.), so as such is potentially dangerous for the society and must be strictly regulated.  A free to play game can be free and harmless for a kid like one cigarette or one drink of alcohool per day is perfectly harmless too, even for a kid. But it's a dangerous slope!

And I still wouldn't encourage any kid doing it because it could lead to serious addiction and others troubles.

I don't like to equate gaming addiction to smoking or alcohol. Not because it is not as severe but because it has next to no impact on other people which makes this addiction less of a target to fight against. Like chocolate addiction.

They can start fighting gaming addiction of kids(which is easily prevented by parents) when they finished banning cigarettes and alcohol in public. But they won't do that because they hav a lobby and gaming doesn't. Yet.