Fortnite Users Getting Refunds for Unwanted Purchases - How to Apply

New York has witnessed a significant development as U.S. consumers who were seemingly "tricked" into making purchases they didn't desire from Fortnite maker Epic Games are now beginning to receive refund checks. This comes after a series of events and legal actions that have had a major impact on both consumers and the gaming industry.

Epic Games' Past Deceptive Practices

Back in 2022, Epic agreed to pay a substantial sum of $520 million to settle complaints related to children's privacy and payment methods on its popular Fortnite game. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) alleged that the video game giant employed deceptive online design tactics to entice Fortnite players, including children, into making unintended purchases with just the press of a single button. For instance, consumers could be charged while simply attempting to wake the game from sleep mode or by accidentally pressing a nearby button while previewing an item. Additionally, the FTC accused Epic of blocking some users who disputed the charges from accessing the content they had purchased.Beyond a $275 million fine for collecting personal information on players under the age of 13, the settlement also included $245 million in customer refunds. Now, the first batch of these refunds is being distributed.On Monday, the FTC announced that it was sending over 629,000 payments to eligible customers who had submitted claims. Approximately half of these refunds are in the form of PayPal payments, which need to be redeemed within 30 days, while the rest are checks that should be cashed within 90 days.The average refund amount is around $114, and this first round of payments totals more than $72 million. According to the agency, there is still about $173 million left to be distributed.Impacted consumers still have the opportunity to apply for a refund online. Those eligible for these payouts include Fortnite players who were charged in-game currency for items they didn't want or had their accounts locked after complaining to a credit card company about wrongful charges between January 2017 and September 2022. Parents whose children made charges on their credit cards without their knowledge from January 2018 through November 2018 are also eligible.You can find more information about applying for a refund on the FTC's website, and the deadline for submitting a claim is January 10, 2025.At the time the settlement was announced in December 2022, Epic stated that it accepted the agreement as it aimed to be at the forefront of consumer protection and provide the best experience for its players. The North Carolina-based company added that it was already implementing changes to ensure its ecosystem met the expectations of both players and regulators, hoping to set a helpful example for others in the industry.