German Federal Court Bans Aggressive Game Advertising to Children

PC Magazine is reporting that a German Federal Court has ruled that aggressive marketing is prohibited, stemming from a lawsuit against gaming company Gameforge.

The suit was brought by the Federation of German Consumer Organizations (VZBV) who sued Gameforge because it tried to sell armor and weaponry directly to children through its Runes of Magic game.

Runes of Magic uses the freemium monetization model and is distributed for free allowing in game purchases. The court ruled 'Direct exhortation to children in this way is prohibited'

This latest ruling underscores the need for developers to understand not just domestic legal issues, but issues as they apply internationally.