Fortnite Players Getting Refunds Following FTC Action Against Epic
If you’ve ever found yourself charged for an unwanted in-game item in Fortnite, you may soon receive a refund in the mail. Thanks to the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which secured a massive $520 million fine from Fortnite developer Epic Games, over 600,000 individual payments are being sent to affected gamers.
So far, the FTC has distributed $72 million in refunds, which is just one-third of the total $245 million refund Epic is set to pay as part of the settlement. This follows the company’s misconduct, including unlawfully charging players for unwanted purchases, allowing children to rack up unauthorized charges, and blocking users who disputed wrongful charges from accessing purchased content. As part of the $520 million settlement, Epic also faces $275 million in additional damages.
The payments, which average $114.40 per person, are being sent to those who filed claims through the Fortnite refund form before October 8, 2024. For those who filed claims after that date, payouts will be distributed in the future, pending approval.
Eligible gamers can still submit claims if they meet one of the following criteria:
- Charged for unwanted in-game items between January 2017 and September 2022.
- Their child made unauthorized purchases between January 2017 and November 2018.
- Epic locked their account after they disputed charges made between January 2017 and September 2022.
The FTC’s historic fine, which is the largest ever in its history, stems from Epic’s violations of the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and other consumer protection laws. If you’re a US resident who fits the criteria, you can submit a claim until January 10, 2025.
