Fortnite Players and Epic Games Customers to Receive Refunds After FTC Settlement
Fortnite players and other Epic Games customers misled into making unwanted purchases are set to receive refunds through the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
The refunds are part of a $245 million settlement announced in December 2022, where Epic Games was accused of using deceptive billing practices and "dark patterns" — manipulative design tactics — to trick players into accidental charges. The FTC says this is the largest refund amount ever in a gaming-related case.
Refund Details
On Monday, the FTC began issuing more than 629,000 payments, with additional disbursements planned for later. Approximately half of these initial refunds will be processed via PayPal, and the other half through checks, totaling $72 million.
- Average Refund Amount: Around $114 per customer
- Payment Redemption: Customers have 30 days to redeem PayPal payments and 90 days to cash checks. Refund recipients had selected their preferred payment method while filing claims.
What Did Epic Games Do?
The FTC accused Epic Games of employing dark patterns and other methods to deceive customers into unwanted purchases.
Examples include:
- Confusing Button Layouts: Players could accidentally make purchases with a single button press due to inconsistent and counterintuitive button configurations.
- Sleep Mode Charges: Transitioning the game from sleep to wake mode often triggered unintended purchases.
- Preview Button Issues: Pressing an adjacent button while previewing an item sometimes resulted in charges.
In announcing the settlement, FTC Chair Lina M. Khan highlighted Epic's use of deceptive interfaces and privacy-invasive settings, which disproportionately affected children and teenagers. "Protecting the public, especially children, from online privacy invasions and dark patterns is a top priority for the Commission," Khan said.
This enforcement action sends a clear message that the FTC is taking a firm stance against unlawful business practices in the gaming industry.
