Genshin Impact Authors Banned from Selling Lootboxes to Kids, Fined $20M

Cognosphere, the U.S. publisher of the popular game Genshin Impact, has accepted charges brought by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The company has agreed to a $20 million settlement and will now prohibit minors under the age of 16 from making in-game purchases without parental consent. This decision comes after Cognosphere pleaded guilty to FTC allegations that included deceiving players about the true value and rarity of in-game items, as well as violating the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act.

The FTC found that Genshin Impact misled children, teenagers, and other players into spending 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 deceptive practices, or "dark patterns," to mislead players, especially young ones, about in-game transactions will face repercussions.

In other gaming news, Zenless Zone Zero from HoYoverse continues to lead the mobile gaming market. The game's latest update, version 1.4, titled "And the Starfall came," has set a new record with $8.6 million in daily player spending on mobile devices alone. This surpasses the previous peak achieved during the game's launch in July 2024.

According to AppMagic, Zenless Zone Zero has now generated over $265 million in total revenue from mobile platforms. The success of the 1.4 update can be attributed to the introduction of new agents like Hoshimi Miyabi and Asaba Harumasa, along with new locations, modes, and enhanced game mechanics, all of which have encouraged players to increase their spending within the game.