Cognosphere, the US publisher of Genshin Impact, has agreed to a $20 million settlement with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC), pleading guilty to charges of deceptive practices and violating the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). The FTC alleged Cognosphere misled players, particularly children and teens, about the value of in-game purchases and the odds of obtaining rare items, leading to significant, often unintentional, spending. The settlement includes a ban on minors under 16 making in-game purchases without parental consent. FTC Bureau of Consumer Protection Director Samuel Levin emphasized that companies employing deceptive “dark patterns” will face repercussions for misleading players, especially children.
Meanwhile, HoYoverse's Zenless Zone Zero continues its strong performance in the mobile gaming market. The game’s recent 1.4 update, "And the Starfall Came," saw a record-breaking $8.6 million in daily player spending on mobile devices alone, surpassing its previous peak at launch in July 2024. AppMagic data indicates Zenless Zone Zero has already generated over $265 million in mobile revenue. The update's introduction of new agents (Hoshimi Miyabi and Asaba Harumasa), locations, modes, and gameplay improvements are credited with boosting player spending.
![City Devil: Restart [v0.2]](https://img.icssh.com/uploads/38/1719554737667e52b102f12.jpg)
