Kids Who Don't Spend Money in Free-to-Play Games Are…

Summary

Kids who don't buy in-game items can face bullying from peers in free-to-play games like Fortnite.
Research shows pressure on children to fit in by purchasing virtual items, raising ethical concerns about microtransactions.
A study highlights manipulation tactics that games use to encourage more spending.

New research by academics based in Norway has found evidence that children and teens can face bullying from their peers if they refrain from buying skins, gear, and other items in free-to-play games like Fortnite. As the gaming industry has evolved, free-to-play games and microtransactions have become a bigger part of the experience for many players. This has prompted debate among gamers and industry observers about the ethics of these business practices and their impact on children who play games like Fortnite.

Last year, the Australian legislature passed a new law that regulates games with loot boxes and gambling elements in an attempt to protect consumers and, especially, children. Similar laws have been proposed in other countries, including the United States, and activists are pushing for greater awareness among parents about the potential dangers such features pose to kids. Now, it seems those concerned about microtransactions have another cause for anxiety.

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By Trumann Tu

A study by a team of Norwegian social scientists has found that kids can face bullying by others if they don't buy items in games. The research by Julia Clara Reich and Kamilla Knutsen Steinnes was published last year and recently highlighted in a post from Sciencenorway.no. This study involved Reich and Steinnes conducting interviews while playing games with 19 children from the ages of 10 to 15 in Norway to examine their experiences. One notable finding was that subjects felt pressure to fit in with peers by buying in-game items in titles like FIFA.

Kids Who Don't Buy Stuff in Games Are Called Poor

In a related study, the same researchers, along with Helene Fiane Teigen, found that games like Fortnite and Roblox employ numerous tactics to manipulate players and encourage them to spend more on in-game purchases. Advertising designed to encourage customers to buy more and children facing peer pressure to fit in are certainly nothing new, but now these struggles may be migrating to the digital realm. Indeed, back in 2022, Sony reported that PS5 owners spend more on microtransactions than on games, and there are no hints of this trend diminishing since then.

It's important to note that this research involved a very small sample of subjects and exclusively covered Norwegian children. As a result, it's not definitive that the results are representative of Norway in general, much less other countries. Still, it raises important and troubling questions that bear future study. With Assassin's Creed Mirage confirming microtransaction plans and showing an ongoing trend towards including in-game purchases in even single-player games, it won't be surprising to see more academics start taking notice.

This news also marks an intersection between controversy about microtransactions and another ongoing controversy in the industry: toxicity and harassment. Recently, for example, Baldur's Gate devs have dealt with toxicity and threats, marking another case of bad behavior swirling around the hobby. Bullying over in-game purchases appears to be another example of this ongoing issue.

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