[Anchor]

A conflict is brewing between PC cafe owners and the game developer over the paid service policy for the global hit game League of Legends. The developer has blocked access for PC cafes that do not pay the fees, while owners are taking legal action, arguing that it is unfair to charge for a game that is free to play at home.

Reporter Choi Seung-hun has the story.

[Reporter]

A sign reading "Boycott Riot" is posted on a PC cafe monitor.

It was put up by an owner to protest against Riot Games, the developer of the popular game League of Legends, also known as "LoL," which has been blocking game access for PC cafes that do not pay for its "Premium Service" since late May.

[Lee Jung-jin / PC cafe owner in Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province: They are forcing us to buy it by claiming that not doing so infringes on their license and copyright for a free game. It is a much more coercive move compared to other game companies.]

The Premium Service is a product where owners pay a certain hourly fee to the game company to provide users at their PC cafe with benefits such as characters or cosmetic items.

Owners argue that it is excessive to block access entirely just because a PC cafe has not paid for the service, especially since individuals can play the game for free at home.

However, they say they have little choice but to subscribe due to the game's popularity.

[Gu Ye-chan / PC cafe owner in Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul: Since League of Legends accounts for 50% of the games played here, it is difficult for a PC cafe to completely block LoL.]

PC cafes that use the Premium Service charge about 250 won more per hour, leading to complaints from users as well.

[Kim Min-seok / PC cafe user in Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul: (Do you feel the benefits of the premium service?) I don't really feel them. I think it would be fine even without it.]

Riot Games' stance remains firm.

They argue that since PC cafes make money by providing the game, they must pay for the use of intellectual property rights.

In the past, some other game companies also experienced fee disputes with non-affiliated PC cafes, but they adjusted their policies to avoid blocking access entirely.

The PC cafe industry has filed a complaint with the Korea Fair Trade Commission, claiming that Riot's measures constitute an abuse of market dominance and unfair trade practices.

Attention is now focused on the Fair Trade Commission's decision regarding how to distinguish between individual use of free games and commercial use by PC cafes, and whether the game company's exercise of licensing rights infringes on consumer choice.

Reported by Seol Chi-hwan | Video by Wi Won-yang | Graphics by Han Song-yeon