Tell HN: Why my game, DropZap World, is not available in the EU

by amichail on 6/19/2025, 1:16:28 PM with 3 comments
The EU has regulations that are unfriendly to indie game developers:

First, you must make your physical address public. Indie game developers can use a P.O. Box, but it’s still a hassle.

Second, you need a "safety representative" residing in the EU who ensures that your game meets safety standards.

Maybe gamers in the EU should urge their politicians to amend these rules and make them more indie‑game‑developer‑friendly.

P.S.

See: https://igda-gasig.org/what-and-why/demystifying-eaa-gpsr/

  • by dtgm93 on 6/19/2025, 2:10:23 PM

    >If you have a game, website or mobile app that involves player to player chat, or a website or mobile app (inc. web/mobile games) that includes any kind of purchasing, you need to be aware of and compliant with EAA – though micro-enterprises (small headcount, small turnover/balance) are exempt.

    Seems like indie devs would be fine?

    Also for the other one, what does it mean to specifically target the European audience? There are so many itch.io games and throwaway garbage, none of them have a safety rep...

  • by mrtksn on 6/20/2025, 5:37:41 AM

    Honestly, indies freaking out about EU is something I don't find justified. All the EU regulations are intended to regulate tech giants or provide some tools to the law enforcement when something nefarious going on and most importantly EU doesn't have an EU police to go after you, these things are actually enforced on local level.

    That is, EU(which is an organization made of representatives from all those countries) comes up with a regulation and all the countries make a law or something in line with that regulation. When a platform for distribution asks you for EU regulation stuff that's most likely about the laws in the country they incorporated.

    Anyway, can you name a single indie dev who got in trouble with EU because they failed to comply with some technicality?