Fortniteand developer Epic Games are paying out a huge refund of over $126 million this week as the result of a previous settlement agreement, and you might be entitled to part of it. Back in December 2022, Epic Games was sued by the Federal Trade Commission for two different issues: allegedly violating children’s privacy laws and allegedly knowingly tricking users into making unwanted monetary charges to bank accounts and credit cards with deceptive practices. Now, the FTC is sending out more refunds as part of the settlement.
As reported byCBS News, the FTC has reopened claims submissions and has saidit will send nearly 970,000 money checks and PayPal payments to consumers who file a valid refund claim. The FTC began sending refunds yesterday and will send more today. In December 2024, the first round of payments was made to eligible customers and was estimated to be around $22 million, according to the agency.
Fortnite Owes The Playerbase $126 Million
Two Major Violations Have Cost Epic Games Millions
Fortniteis one of the most popular and profitable video games ever made, butit has been the subject of several lawsuits over the years, some aimed at the free-to-play game’s heavy use of microtransactions and its appeal to children. Last year, a separate agreement was made regarding Epic Games violating the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act Rule, which resulted in a $275 million fine. Now, the second part of the lawsuit is being addressed. The rest of the total $245 million for refunds will likely be distributed at a later date, after this huge round of $126 million refunds.
The settlement refund is theFTC’s largest ever given for a video game caseand its largest administrative order in history. Several smaller lawsuits have also been filed againstFortniteand Epic Games. Previously,the mother of the Orange Shirt Kid sued Epicover a dance in the game. Another lawsuit was brought against Epic for a saxophone dance, andseveral others were also filed in 2019, due to Epic Games' loose use of real-life popular trends.
How To Get The Fortnite Epic Games Settlement Money
A Few Simple Steps
Fortniteplayers who think they may be entitled to a refund can fill out the request on theFederal Trade Commission’s website.Players have until July 9to file their claims after the FTC reopened the claims requests. If you already filed a claim after February 14, no further action is required. During the claims process, you can select if you want to receive the payment via check or PayPal. If you get a check, you must cash it or deposit it into a bank account within 90 days. If you get a PayPal payment, it must be accepted within 30 days.
You may be eligible for a refund if any of the following statements are true and apply to you, according to the FTC:
A claim number or Epic Account ID is required to apply for a refund. A parent or guardian must apply on behalf of minors. No changes will be made to yourFortniteaccount or any items you may have purchased.
Legal battles seem to be a constant presence forFortniteand Epic Games. Additionally, Epic Games has accused other companies of potential legal misdeeds in the past, and has alsofeuded with Appleover alleged attempts to blockFortnitefrom returning to iOS. WithFortnitebeing as popular and profitable as it is, it seems like Epic Games has a virtually permanent seat in a courtroom.
