Google Play Games under EU scrutiny for plan to intensify data collection

SourceCryptopolitan

2 Sept 2025 13:25

Google intends to collect data about the games you play and your achievements to share them with other players. According to Google's help page, a new update to Play Games will change profiles to include a feature similar to Steam that “shows and tracks your progress and gaming statistics, new ways to build your community, and allows you to customize your profile to your liking.”

The update could make Play Games profiles resemble the Sony PlayStation system, which prompts new and existing users to choose who to share their games with.

According to Google, the changes will be applied automatically worldwide starting September 23, while the European Union and the United Kingdom will receive the update on October 1. The tech giant has already started notifying users directly via email.

“To help you connect with other players, you can make your profile public, which will allow you to follow other players and find their updates,” they stated on their support page.

What data will Google collect?

The update allows Google to collect data on gaming activity, including information about installed games, frequency of use, and duration of each session. The visibility setting will remain by default unless users decide to change it.

Certain games will share additional data provided by participating developers, such as achievement progress, leaderboards, and saved events.

“Participating developers may receive and/or collect information about your profile, activity within their specific game, and purchases made in it,” the company stated.

Users with existing profiles have the unique option to import their previous activity stored in their Google account. If they agree, this information will be incorporated into the new profile as game statistics.

Google reiterated that players can choose to make their profile public or private, delete their account entirely, or adjust visibility settings at any time.

GDPR in question: Is data consent overrated?

To implement this update, Google must have considered the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) of the EU. However, many would not be happy sharing their gaming data with a company that encompasses almost 90% of internet users, including institutions.

Concerns about how video game companies handle information go beyond what Google has decided to do. On April 24, the Austrian group NOYB filed a lawsuit against the French giant Ubisoft.

The case questioned the data collection in games like Far Cry Primal and the requirement for online connection even in single-player modes. NOYB revealed that a fan asked Ubisoft for details about the information stored about their activity.

According to NOYB, Ubisoft's response showed session start and end times, but revealed that the game connected to external servers 150 times in just 10 minutes. The organization described this as “secret data collection” and claimed that it violates strict European GDPR regulations.

The GDPR law requires companies to only collect data when it is “necessary”. Any unnecessary collection is considered illegal. NOYB argues that Ubisoft's justification for online connections could be handled by Steam, where the user originally purchased the title.

Ubisoft risks paying fines of up to four percent of its global revenue, which could total €92 million based on last year's revenue of €2.3 billion.