Do you enjoy Fortnite? You might be able to earn more than just V-Bucks.
The Federal Trade Commission announced Monday that it had settled claims with Epic Games over children’s privacy and payment systems that tricked players into making unintended purchases.
According to the FTC, Epic will pay $520 million to settle the case, including $245 million in customer refunds.
“Epic used privacy-invading default settings and deceptive interfaces to fool Fortnite users, including teenagers and children,” said FTC Chair Lina Khan in a statement.
Do you want to get a refund for your Fortnite addiction? Here’s what you need to know.
Who is eligible for a Fortnite settlement refund?
The FTC stated that parents whose children made unauthorised credit card purchases in the Epic Games Store between January 2017 and November 2018 are eligible.
Also, between January 2017 and September 2022, any players who were charged V-Bucks – Fortnite’s in-game currency that can be purchased with real-world money – for unwanted in-game items will be eligible for a refund.
According to the FTC, the refunds also apply to players whose accounts were locked between January 2017 and September 2022 after disputing unauthorised charges.
How do you obtain a Fortnite refund?
As part of the settlement, no programme has been developed to distribute refunds to customers. Once the programme is launched, the FTC will post updates on its website and email customers who paid for in-game purchases.
What action did Epic Games take?
According to the agency, Epic collected data on children who played the game without parental consent. According to the FTC, the company also enabled certain voice and text features by default, which “harmed children and teens.”
Epic was also accused of creating “dark patterns” that led to players making unnecessary purchases and incurring unauthorised charges.
Epic stated in a separate statement that it has made several changes in recent years “to ensure our ecosystem meets the expectations of our players and regulators, which we hope will be a helpful guide for others in our industry.”
