In recent years, competition authorities around the globe have
indicated an increased interest in the video game industry. As
noted in a
2019 perspective paper by the US FTC, video games have
evolved from being static one-time purchases to functioning as a
dynamic service where players can make further in-game purchase, or
microtransactions, for in-game content.
With the development of new monetization strategies, new
deceptive marketing practices have also emerged. In particular,
mobile game publishers have been criticized by both
players and
industry observers for publishing deceptive advertisements
making use of embellished or unrelated gameplay footage in order to
entice individuals to download what are often simple and lacklustre
mobile games. The goal of these advertisements is not to
necessarily achieve a high degree of player retention, but to
maximize consumer exposure and attract the sizeable minority of
players whom are willing to spend money for
