In an important step for gamers, the Federal Trade Commission has begun dispersing more than $72 million to players of Fortnite, due to a settlement reached with Epic Games. This refund comes after it was determined that the popular game had allegedly used a variety of so-called “dark patterns” that tricked users into buying things they never intended. This means as many as 8.6 million players may be eligible for these refunds, resulting in widespread interest in how to apply for one.
Background on the refund settlement
An historic settlement was announced in December 2022 with an FTC action against Epic Games requiring the company to pay up to $245 million. The allegations centered around the game’s interface and billing practices that misled players into incurring charges without their consent. For instance, users reported being charged while attempting to wake their devices from sleep mode or during loading screens. This deceptive design reportedly allowed children to make unauthorized purchases without parental knowledge, leading to significant financial repercussions for families.
Lina Khan, chair of the FTC, said accountability is being called for in gaming practices as it declared that Epic Games had been “deceiving players.” It also sets one of the largest monetary orders the FTC has ever obtained in a gaming case.
Eligibility for refunds
Players will be required to fill out a form based on their eligibility involving specific conditions of the gaming experiences taken between January 2017 and September 2022, including:
- Unwanted charges: where players were charged V-Bucks for items not purchased
- Unauthorized purchases: purchases by minors where parents’ credit cards were used without consent between January 2017 and November 2018.
- Account lockouts: Anyone whose account was locked after they had disputed unauthorized charges with their credit card companies, between the relevant time.
If any of the above applies to you, you might still have an opportunity for a refund.
How to file a claim
Filing a claim for your Fortnite refund is not exactly rocket science. Gamers will be able to submit claims up until January 10, 2025, through an FTC official website. To do this, follow these steps:
- Open claim submission site: You first need to log on to the ftc.gov/fortnite site where access to the form is available.
- Information required to provide: You’ll want either your claim number or your Epic Games account information to move this application forward.
- Select payment method: Choose how you would like your refund to be returned by selecting between a PayPal refund and a check refund. Note further that, if you do select a payment via PayPal, you have 30 days to accept said payment, or 90 days to cash a check.
- There are no costs to submit a claim: Remember, there are no costs to submit a claim. Beware of scams who may request your payment information and/or personal information.
If you are under 18 years, the filing should be done by a parent or guardian.
Status of refunds currently
To date, the FTC has initiated payments to over 629,000 qualified claimants, averaging about $114 per person. The payments will be issued in two predominant forms; via PayPal and checks. The first wave of payments is just the beginning; additional disbursements will follow as more claims are processed.
People who have filed a claim before the first deadline date, October 8, 2024, have nothing to do as claims would be paid based on one’s preferred option chosen when the claim was filed and for those yet to file, the deadline has been extended to January 10, 2025. Claimants whose submission had come after this date remain viable for review by the FTC.
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