WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced that it has commenced the distribution of refunds totaling over $72 million to consumers affected by deceptive practices employed by Epic Games, the company behind the popular video game Fortnite. This marks the first round of payments following a $245 million settlement announced in December 2022.
The FTC alleged that Epic Games used manipulative design tactics, known as “dark patterns,” to trick players into making unwarranted in-game purchases. The company was also accused of allowing minors to incur unauthorized charges without parental consent and obstructing access to purchased content for users who disputed charges. According to the FTC, Fortnite’s confusing button layout caused players to incur unintended charges with a single button press during various in-game scenarios, such as waking the game from sleep mode or previewing items.
The initial round of payments involves 629,344 refunds, with half sent through PayPal and the other half as checks. Consumers who filed valid claims chose their preferred payment method when submitting their forms. PayPal recipients are advised to redeem payments within 30 days, while check recipients should cash their refunds within 90 days. The average refund amount is approximately $114.
The FTC plans to issue additional payments as part of the ongoing refund process, ensuring that affected consumers are appropriately compensated for the unauthorized charges.
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