Hundreds of thousands of Fortnite players are getting a refund after federal regulators found the game’s developer tricked players into spending money on unwanted purchases. The Federal Trade Commission said it’s starting to send $72 million in payments to Epic Games customers.
It’s just the first round of refunds following a 2022 settlement of $245 million – the FTC’s largest-ever refund amount in a gaming case. Epic Games agreed to the settlement for its “unlawful billing practices.”
Fortnite is free to download and play but charges gamers for other items. They include experiences known as microtransactions, like costumes and dance moves.
While microtransactions are a common feature in video games, Epic Games used a design tactic called “dark patterns” that hid in-game purchases. This led to people, including children, racking up charges.
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In some cases, just one accidental press of a button led to players incurring charges.
The complaint described it happening from 2017 to 2022. Players tried to wake the game up from sleep mode or pressed a button to preview a purchasable item.
Epic Games is also accused of locking out customers who disputed unauthorized charges. That caused them to lose access to all the content they purchased.
The average payment amount in the settlement is about $114 per customer through PayPal or check.
The FTC said customers who selected their payment method when they completed their claim form have 30 days to redeem PayPal payments and 90 days to cash checks.
Fortnite customers who think they’re eligible for a refund can submit a claim online until Jan. 10.
