A high court has ruled: downloadable content, including micro transactions, are illegal – hurts consumers.
The case took almost three months, but was eight years in the making, and now a panel of 12 judges have unanimously agreed that downloadable content and micro transactions are not only illegal, but are often misrepresented and hurts consumers.
“It’s not a case most courts would be willing to look at,” explained Judge Happ, “but I think the average consumer has had enough with DLC, and micro transactions. Can you imagine a consumer telling these software companies that they only want to pay for part of their game, simply because there are features they don’t want? It simply can’t go both ways.”
The judges heard testimony from several major software and console publishers, and consumers alike. But despite the industry’s high priced lawyers, info graphics, and forum postings, the judges ruled that DLC at it’s core is a “scam.”
Some of the plaintiff’s arguments included:
- It’s the equivalent of buying a car, then having to go back to the dealership to purchase the seats
- You don’t stay at a hospital and buy pain pills or antibiotics a la carte, so why should I have to buy lives to complete a game?
- DLC doesn’t get scrutinized by the ESRB; these companies release an E rated game, then sell instruments of murder and rape under the guise of DLC.
Even though the software industry may have lost this round don’t expect refunds or enforcement any time soon because an appeal has already been filed.
