视频游戏中的虚拟货币：游戏玩家的陷阱？

动视暴雪、育碧（在 The SandBox 上提供 NFT Lapins Crétins）以及其他游戏界大牌都被指控使用了精心设计的技巧

Seven video game giants are accused of manipulating consumers through the use of virtual currencies. The opacity of these currencies, which cannot be directly converted back into euros, makes it difficult for players to grasp the real cost of their purchases. This practice could impact the crypto industry.

七家视频游戏巨头被指控通过使用虚拟货币操纵消费者。这些货币的不透明性无法直接兑换回欧元，使得玩家很难掌握其购买的真实成本。这种做法可能会影响加密货币行业。

Activision Blizzard, Ubisoft – which offers NFT Lapins Crétins on The SandBox, and other big names in gaming are being targeted by a complaint filed by several consumer protection associations. The associations are demanding action against the use of virtual currencies, which they claim are being used to manipulate consumers.

动视暴雪 (Activision Blizzard)、育碧 (在 The SandBox 上提供 NFT Lapins Crétins) 以及其他游戏界的知名公司都成为了多个消费者保护协会提起投诉的目标。这些协会要求对虚拟货币的使用采取行动，他们声称虚拟货币被用来操纵消费者。

Their latest tactic? Introducing virtual currencies to encourage players to spend without being fully aware of it. Imagine this: you want to buy a stylish weapon or a fancy costume for your avatar, but, surprise, you first have to convert your euros into coins, gems, or other virtual currencies.

他们的最新策略？引入虚拟货币来鼓励玩家在不完全意识到的情况下进行消费。想象一下：您想为您的头像购买时尚的武器或精美的服装，但令人惊讶的是，您首先必须将欧元兑换成硬币、宝石或其他虚拟货币。

The problem? These conversions make the real cost of your purchases hard to grasp. Worse still, there is no way to convert these gems or coins back into euros once the purchase is made.

问题？这些换算使您难以掌握购买的实际成本。更糟糕的是，一旦购买，就无法将这些宝石或硬币兑换回欧元。

Result: players end up buying more virtual currency than necessary, without understanding how much real money they have spent.

结果：玩家最终购买了超出必要数量的虚拟货币，而不了解他们花了多少钱。

According to UFC-Que Choisir, this opaque system deliberately biases consumers’ freedom of choice. This is where publishers, while hiding the real price of items, push players to open their wallets recklessly.

UFC-Que Choisir 表示，这种不透明的系统故意偏见消费者的选择自由。这就是发行商在隐藏物品真实价格的同时，促使玩家不顾一切地打开钱包的地方。

The issue falls within a broader context where cryptos and virtual currencies are flooding into gaming. With the rise of Play-to-Earn, a new model where players can earn crypto while playing, the line between leisure and investment becomes blurred.

这个问题属于更广泛的背景，即加密货币和虚拟货币正在涌入游戏领域。随着 Play-to-Earn（一种玩家可以在玩游戏时赚取加密货币的新模式）的兴起，休闲和投资之间的界限变得模糊。

But beware, not all platforms play fair. While some, like SpaceCatch, honestly reward players who catch aliens and earn cryptos, others use dubious practices.

但请注意，并非所有平台都公平竞争。虽然有些游戏（例如 SpaceCatch）诚实地奖励捕捉外星人并赚取加密货币的玩家，但其他游戏的做法却很可疑。

Did you know that 42% of PC games use virtual currencies, and on mobile, this figure reaches 81%? Consumers, especially the younger ones, are easy targets. Each month, they spend on average €40 on video games without always understanding the real value of the items they acquire.

您是否知道 42% 的 PC 游戏使用虚拟货币，而在移动设备上，这一数字达到 81%？消费者，尤其是年轻消费者，很容易成为目标。他们每个月平均在视频游戏上花费 40 欧元，但并不总是了解他们所购买物品的真正价值。

To add to this confusion, the items offered are never displayed in euros.

更令人困惑的是，所提供的商品从来不以欧元显示。

With such figures, publishers are not done monetizing the enthusiasm of players for virtual weapons or flashy skins.

有了这样的数字，发行商还没有停止利用玩家对虚拟武器或华丽皮肤的热情来货币化。

In response to these practices, several consumer associations, supported by organizations such as UFC-Que Choisir and CLCV, are calling for reforms to regulate these virtual currencies. They are calling for greater transparency: it is urgent to display the prices of virtual items in real currency.

针对这些做法，一些消费者协会在 UFC-Que Choisir 和 CLCV 等组织的支持下，呼吁进行改革以监管这些虚拟货币。他们呼吁提高透明度：迫切需要以真实货币显示虚拟物品的价格。

“Gamers should not need a calculator every time they want to make an informed decision“, says Agustin Reyna, from the European Bureau of Consumers’ Unions.

“游戏玩家不应该在每次想要做出明智的决定时都需要计算器”，欧洲消费者联盟局的 Agustin Reyna 表示。

And what if Web3 and blockchain offered a fairer solution? Cryptos, while criticized in some cases, can also help players better manage their spending. Some projects show that Play-to-Earn game models where players actually earn cryptos are possible.

如果 Web3 和区块链提供更公平的解决方案呢？加密货币虽然在某些情况下受到批评，但也可以帮助玩家更好地管理他们的支出。一些项目表明，玩家实际赚取加密货币的“边玩边赚”游戏模式是可能的。

Rather than hiding the true cost of purchases, these alternatives propose that players earn currencies by actively participating in the game, while making transactions transparent.

这些替代方案并没有隐藏真实的购买成本，而是建议玩家通过积极参与游戏来赚取货币，同时使交易透明。

Players can also turn to altcoins related to video games, offering new perspectives and fairer rewards. Here are some popular altcoins in this universe:

玩家还可以转向与视频游戏相关的山寨币，提供新的视角和更公平的奖励。以下是这个宇宙中一些流行的山寨币：

These currencies allow developers to create more open ecosystems focused on users, far from the opaque practices of traditional gaming giants.

这些货币允许开发者创建更加开放的以用户为中心的生态系统，远离传统游戏巨头的不透明做法。

Play-to-Earn is based on a simple principle: giving back to players a part of their earnings. SpaceCatch has understood this well, offering them the possibility to earn cryptos by catching aliens.

Play-to-Earn 基于一个简单的原则：将部分收入返还给玩家。 SpaceCatch 很清楚这一点，为他们提供了通过捕捉外星人来赚取加密货币的可能性。