Fortnite players and other customers of Epic Games are set to receive refund payments from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) after being misled into making unwanted purchases. This follows a settlement reached in December 2022, in which Epic Games was ordered to pay $245 million to resolve claims regarding unlawful billing practices that involved deceptive design tactics known as dark patterns. This settlement marks the largest refund amount ever in a gaming case, according to the FTC.
On Monday, the FTC announced it would begin disbursing more than 629,000 payments, with additional payouts planned for the future. In the initial round, approximately $72 million in refunds will be distributed, with half going through PayPal and the other half in the form of checks.
Each affected customer can expect an average refund of around $114. Those who opted for PayPal have 30 days to claim their funds, while check recipients have 90 days to cash their checks.
The FTC claims that Epic Games employed various misleading tactics to trick consumers into making purchases without their consent. Issues included a “confusing button configuration” that led players to make transactions unintentionally with a single click. Unwanted charges could also occur when transitioning the game from sleep mode or accidentally pressing adjacent buttons while previewing items.
FTC Chair Lina M. Khan emphasized the importance of protecting users, particularly children, from such deceptive practices, highlighting that the agency is actively taking steps to combat these tactics in the gaming industry.
In summary, this settlement reinforces the FTC’s commitment to safeguarding consumer rights in the digital marketplace and serves as a reminder for companies to maintain transparency and fairness in their billing practices. The returning funds offer a positive outcome, granting players some financial relief and promoting better business practices among gaming developers.