‘Fortnite’ Refunds Issued to Players as Part of $72 Million Settlement

Players of a popular video game could be receiving a payment in the mail after a recent settlement.

FTC Called Out Company Over In-Game Purchases

More than $72 million will be distributed across just nearly 630,000 payments thanks to a recent settlement between the Federal Trade Commission and Epic Games.

The company is responsible for the popular Fortnite video game. In a release from the FTC, the commission said Epic Games "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."

Fortnite originally debuted in 2017 and became a widespread hit among all ages of gamers. GameSpot.com reported the title had 10 million players in just two weeks following its initial release.

Like many of the currently popular video games, Fortnite players have the opportunity to purchase add-ons to the game that provide advantages or modifications to characters.

According to the FTC, the settlement requires Epic Games to get consent from users before charging for purchases. The company is also banned locking players out when they are disputing charges.

How Can Fortnite Players Receive Refunds?

Refund checks are on their way to Fortnite players who filed a claim prior to Oct. 8, but there is still an opportunity to file a claim to the FTC.

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To be eligible for a refund, the FTC says one of the following has to be true:

• You were charged in-game currency for items you didn’t want between Jan. 2017 and Sept. 2022
• Your child made charges to your credit card without your knowledge between Jan. 2017 and Nov. 2018
• Your account was locked between Jan. 2017 and Sept. 2022 after you complained to your credit card company about wrongful charges

A website has been setup for Fortnite players seeking refunds. Players under the 18 years old need a parent or legal guardian to complete the form.