Unfair play? Video games as exploitative monetized services: An examination of game patents from a consumer protection perspective
作者：
Highlights：
• Video games are increasingly monetized with in-game purchasing options or ‘microtransactions’.
• Thirteen design patents and terms of use for in-game purchasing systems were examined.
• Patented game systems exploit behavioral tracking data to optimize purchasing offers.
• Some player-game dynamics may be viewed as an information asymmetry.
• In-game purchasing systems lack basic consumer guarantees and protections.
摘要
•Video games are increasingly monetized with in-game purchasing options or ‘microtransactions’.•Thirteen design patents and terms of use for in-game purchasing systems were examined.•Patented game systems exploit behavioral tracking data to optimize purchasing offers.•Some player-game dynamics may be viewed as an information asymmetry.•In-game purchasing systems lack basic consumer guarantees and protections.
论文关键词：Video game,In-game purchasing,Microtransaction,Predatory monetization,Consumer protection,Gaming disorder
论文评审过程：Received 25 March 2019, Revised 9 July 2019, Accepted 15 July 2019, Available online 16 July 2019, Version of Record 24 July 2019.
论文官网地址：https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2019.07.017
