Fortnite Players Can Now Claim Compensation in $245 Million Settlement with Epic Games

Millions of Fortnite players have the opportunity to claim their share of a $245 million settlement reached by Epic Games, the parent company of the popular multiplayer shooter game. This settlement comes following allegations of deceptive tactics used by Epic Games, which led users to make unintended and unwanted purchases within the game. The settlement was brokered with the United States Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and the claims process is now open for more than 37 million potentially affected Fortnite users who may qualify for compensation.

In December of the previous year, Epic Games agreed to a total settlement amount of $520 million to resolve allegations made by the US government. These allegations included claims of misleading millions of players, including children and teenagers, into making unintended in-game purchases and violations of the federal Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA).

The $275 million portion of the settlement addresses the COPPA violation, in which Epic Games was accused of collecting personal information from children under the age of 13 without obtaining proper parental consent. Separately, the remaining $245 million is allocated for refunds to consumers who were purportedly harmed by deceptive user-interface design choices made by Epic Games. The FTC contended that these design choices misled players into making unwanted purchases.

The FTC’s statement on Tuesday highlighted the use of “dark patterns” and other deceptive practices employed by Epic Games to influence players’ in-game purchasing decisions. “Dark patterns” refer to design tactics often criticized for their manipulative effects on users’ digital behaviors.

The FTC is in the process of notifying eligible users who may qualify for a share of the $245 million settlement fund. Users could receive an email from the FTC in the coming weeks, providing them with a claim number. Alternatively, affected users can visit the settlement website and submit a claim using their Epic account ID.

Eligible claimants include users who were charged in-game currency for items they did not intend to purchase between January 2017 and September 2022. Additionally, parents whose children made unauthorized credit card charges on Fortnite accounts between January 2017 and November 2018, as well as users whose accounts were locked following complaints to credit card companies about erroneous charges between January 2017 and September 2022, are also eligible to apply. Claimants must be 18 years of age; for younger users, their parents may submit claims on their behalf.

The deadline for users to submit a claim and be included in the settlement class is January 17, 2024. The individual settlement payments have not been specified at this time.

In addition to the monetary settlement, Epic Games’ agreement with the FTC includes provisions prohibiting the use of dark patterns and unauthorized charges, as well as forbidding the locking of player accounts in response to chargeback requests filed by users disputing unwanted charges. In a December blog post, Epic Games emphasized its commitment to consumer protection and delivering the best experience for players while acknowledging the unforeseen circumstances that led to the settlement.