Tennessee Fortnite players may soon find themselves with some extra cash as a result of a Federal Trade Commission (FTC) refund initiative.
On Monday, the FTC announced it would begin distributing the first wave of a total of $72 million in refunds to players of Fortnite, which is developed by Epic Games. This is part of a settlement agreement reached in 2022, where Epic Games acknowledged its part in misleading players into making unintended purchases through what the FTC described as “unlawful billing practices.”
Under this settlement, Epic Games is obligated to refund a total of $245 million to Fortnite players.
Fortnite, known for its free-to-play model, incorporates various in-game purchases—referred to as microtransactions—such as costumes and emotes. The issue, however, lies in the tactics Epic Games employed that allegedly made these transactions difficult to navigate, resulting in unauthorized spending, particularly among younger players. The FTC highlighted that these “dark patterns,” a design method that can lead users toward unintended purchases, were problematic, allowing gamers to unintentionally make purchases simply by pressing buttons during gameplay.
The complaints pertain to incidents between 2017 and 2022, with players sometimes accruing charges without their consent just by default actions like waking up the game or browsing purchase options. Additionally, if players attempted to contest these charges, they reportedly faced account lockouts, losing access to purchased content.
Following the settlement reached in December 2022, the FTC has secured the largest refund amount in the history of the video gaming industry. Approximately 630,000 players will be included in the first phase of refunds, expecting an average payout of around $114. Eligible players who previously submitted claims should check their forms for payment methods, with 30 days allotted to redeem PayPal payments and 90 days for cashing checks.
For those who believe they are eligible for a refund but haven’t yet submitted a claim, there is still time. Claims can be filed until January 10, 2025, with an option to submit claims available online.
Further distributions of refunds will follow, although the FTC has not provided a specific timeline for when the remaining funds will be allocated.
This development not only addresses the grievances of Fortnite players but also strengthens the message concerning consumer rights and transparency in the gaming industry. It serves as a reminder to game developers about the importance of ensuring fair practices for their users.