WarpPortal blocks access to game catalogue in Europe
Ragnarok Online and more will be restricted from May 25 - the date that GDPR takes effect
WarpPortal will block access to its games in countries across Europe, apparently due to the impending General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
WarpPortal has a catalogue of different games, the most prominent of which is Ragnarok Online. According to an official statement, access to that catalogue will be restricted for, "all the European countries except for Russian Federation and the CIS countries."
This is due to "changes in our company's service policy for the European regions." The date on which WarpPortal's products and services will no longer be available to European gamers is May 25 - the same day that GDPR will be implemented.
"All WarpPortal game access and account access will be blocked by regional IP," the company said. "Refunds will be gradually sent for purchases made from February 1st 2018 to April 30th 2018 to those affected by this service termination."
We have approached Gravity Interactive, which operates WarpPortal, for comment.
If you want to know more about the impact of GDPR on the games industry, you can read Purewal & Partners' comprehensive three-part guide: What does GDPR do?, What does GDPR mean for digital entertainment businesses?, and GDPR: Frequently Asked Questions.