The authors of Genshin Impact were forced to ban selling lootboxes to children and fined $20 million dollars

Cognosphere, the US publisher of Genshin Impact, has agreed to a 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 settlement includes a $20 million penalty and a ban on in-app purchases by minors under 16 without parental consent. The FTC accused Cognosphere of misleading players, particularly children and teens, about the value and probability of obtaining rare items within the game, employing "dark patterns" to encourage excessive spending. FTC Bureau of Consumer Protection Director Samuel Levin emphasized that companies using such tactics will face repercussions.

Meanwhile, HoYoverse's Zenless Zone Zero continues its mobile market success. The recent 1.4 update, "And the Starfall Came," saw a record-breaking $8.6 million in daily player spending on mobile platforms, surpassing even its July 2024 launch peak. AppMagic data reveals Zenless Zone Zero has already accumulated over $265 million in mobile revenue. This surge is attributed to the update's introduction of new characters (Hoshimi Miyabi and Asaba Harumasa), locations, game modes, and enhanced mechanics, all incentivizing increased player spending.