The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has initiated the distribution of refunds totaling over $72 million to Fortnite players who were tricked into making unwanted purchases, marking the first wave of payments under a settlement with Epic Games.
The settlement stems from a December 2022 agreement requiring Epic Games to pay $245 million to resolve allegations of deceptive practices. The FTC accused the game developer of using “dark patterns” in Fortnite’s design to confuse players and prompt unintended purchases. Additionally, the FTC alleged Epic allowed children to make unauthorized charges without parental consent and restricted access to purchased content for users who disputed charges.
Key to the allegations were Fortnite’s problematic button configurations. According to the FTC, players could incur charges by pressing a single button unintentionally, such as when waking the game from sleep mode, during loading screens, or when previewing an item. These actions affected players of all ages.
Refunds Now Reaching Consumers
The FTC announced it is sending 629,344 payments to eligible consumers, split evenly between PayPal transfers and mailed checks. Recipients were able to choose their payment method when submitting claims. PayPal payments must be redeemed within 30 days, while checks should be cashed within 90 days. The average refund amount is approximately $114.
The FTC confirmed additional payments will follow as more claims are processed.
Support for Consumers
Consumers with questions about the refund process can contact the refund administrator, Rust Consulting, Inc., by calling 1-833-915-0880 or emailing admin@fortniterefund.com. Further details, including a Frequently Asked Questions section, are available on the FTC’s website. The FTC emphasized it never requests money or account information to issue refunds.
Eligible consumers who have not yet filed a claim can do so by completing the claim form online at www.ftc.gov/fortnite.
Broader Impact
The FTC noted that its efforts to secure refunds in 2023 have resulted in $330 million returned to consumers nationwide. State-by-state breakdowns of refund data are available through the FTC’s interactive dashboards.