The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has started issuing refunds totaling $72 million to Fortnite gamers. Users who are affected by Epic Games' alleged use of dark patterns will be able to claim the refund.
This refund is being rolled out as the first step in a settlement agreement that has raised widespread discussions regarding consumer protection, especially in gaming.
Epic Games, the producer of the beloved game Fortnite, has reportedly used some unethical strategies to trick the gamers into making unintended purchases. These tactics are commonly referred to as dark patterns.
FTC accused the company of deploying these design tactics to push its players into in-game purchases. These tactics included confusing button configurations and misleading navigation. For example, players could be charged while waking the game from sleep mode or by pressing a button that is officially meant only to preview an item.
How to claim the Fortnite refund
The $72 million distributed so far is the first of multiple refund rounds. Nearly 630,000 payments have been made via PayPal or checks. Recipients can choose their suitable payment methods when submitting claims. The average refund amount is approximately $114. Impacted players have time to file refund claims until January 10, 2025. They need to head to FTC's official website.
Before that, gamers need to check their eligibility. As per the criterion listed at the FTC website, you can file a claim if any of these below-mentioned statements apply to you:
- You were charged in-game currency for items you didn’t want between January 2017 and September 2022.
- Your child made charges to your credit card without your knowledge between January 2017 and November 2018.
- Your account was locked between January 2017 and September 2022 after you complained to your credit card company about wrongful charges.
- You must be at least 18 to complete a claim form. If you are not yet 18, a parent or guardian must complete the claim form for you.
Here is what the FTC had to mention about the settlement with Fortnite's developer, Epic Games:
"Epic Games, the company responsible for Fortnite, agreed to pay money to settle FTC allegations related to in-game purchases. According to the FTC, the company unlawfully charged players for unwanted purchases, let children rack up unauthorized charges without their parents’ permission, and blocked some users who disputed wrongful charges from accessing their purchased content."
How to apply for a refund?
The Federal Tax Commission made the following remarks regarding the filing procedure:
"Apply online at www.fortniterefund.com/file-a-claim. To apply for a refund, you will need a claim number or your Epic Account ID."
It should be noted that your Fortnite account will not be affected in this process. Items already purchased in the game will not be harmed as well.
Between 2017 and 2022, it was often reported that bills were racking up for minors without parental consent. Parents reported discovering hundreds of dollars in charges on their credit cards as a result of a single, accidental button press.
Complaints from several consumers, including Epic Games’ own employees, raised concerns across different authorities. All of these finally led to the FTC's intervention.
In December 2022, Epic Games agreed to a $245 million settlement. This settlement required the company to pay refunds to affected customers. Additionally, they also promised to implement safeguards to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
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For any kind of assistance regarding the refund procedure, you may contact the Refund Administrator for FTC at 1-833-915-0880.
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