 |
Source = Wemade |
[Alpha Biz= Paul Lee] SEOUL, April 21 – South Korea’s Fair Trade Commission (KFTC) announced Monday that it has imposed fines of KRW 2.5 million (approx. USD 1,800) each on game developers Gravity and Wemade for violating the nation’s Electronic Commerce Act by misleading users about the probabilities of obtaining certain in-game items.
According to the KFTC, Gravity, the developer of Ragnarok Online, sold three types of “probability-based items” between March 2017 and March 2024—specifically, the Costume Enchant Stone Box 32, Booster Amplifier, and Sealed Boss Card Lucky Box.
Gravity exaggerated the drop rates of certain items by as much as 8 times the actual probability. For example, the Booster Amplifier advertised rare item drop rates that were inflated by up to 5 times. In another case, despite reducing the probability of obtaining certain items in the Sealed Boss Card Lucky Box from 2.5% to 2.272%, the company failed to notify users.
Wemade, the developer of Night Crows, was found to have similarly misrepresented item drop rates for its "Brilliant Element of Harmony Extraction" loot box between December 2023 and March 2024. The probabilities of acquiring rare items were falsely inflated by between 1.76 to 3 times.
Under Korea’s Electronic Commerce Act, businesses are prohibited from using false or exaggerated claims or deceptive methods to lure or transact with consumers.
The KFTC issued corrective orders requiring both companies to cease the misleading practices, implement preventive measures, and report those measures to the commission. The watchdog said the decision to issue fines rather than heavier penalties was influenced by the companies’ voluntary corrective actions, including refunds to affected users and public acknowledgments of the violations.
“These actions are aimed at strengthening consumer rights and reinforcing transparency in the online gaming industry,” a KFTC spokesperson stated.
Alphabiz Reporter Paul Lee(hoondork1977@alphabiz.co.kr)
