The Federal Trade Commission announced Wednesday it is sending more than $126 million in refunds to Fortnite players who were charged for unwanted purchases while playing the popular video game. The agency also reopened the claims process for affected players and their guardians in what has become one of the largest consumer protection settlements in gaming history.
This latest payment brings the total refunds issued to nearly $200 million, stemming from the FTC’s 2023 settlement with Epic Games over allegations that the developer used deceptive practices to trick players into making unwanted purchases. The case highlights growing regulatory scrutiny of gaming monetization practices, particularly those affecting younger players.
Second wave delivers nearly one million payments
The FTC issued its first round of refunds in December 2024, sending over 629,000 payments totaling more than $72 million to affected consumers. The current round will distribute nearly 970,000 checks and PayPal payments to consumers who filed valid claims during the initial claims period.
Epic Games agreed to pay $245 million to settle the FTC’s allegations in what represents the agency’s largest refund amount in a gaming case. The settlement covered alleged offenses from 2017 to 2022, when the company was accused of using misleading billing practices that resulted in unauthorized charges across millions of player accounts.
Players who selected their preferred payment method when completing claim forms will receive either physical checks or PayPal transfers. Check recipients must cash their payments within 90 days as indicated on the check, while PayPal recipients have 30 days to redeem their refunds according to agency guidelines.
Dark patterns enabled systematic unauthorized charges
Fortnite operates as a free-to-play game but generates substantial revenue through microtransactions for in-game items like character costumes, dance moves, and other cosmetic enhancements. While these purchases are common in modern gaming, federal regulators found Epic Games employed problematic design tactics that went beyond standard industry practices.
The company used what regulators called dark patterns that concealed in-game purchases, allowing children to accumulate unauthorized charges without parental consent or knowledge. In some instances, a single accidental button press led to unexpected charges for players of all ages, creating widespread billing issues across the game’s massive user base.
These unwanted purchases could occur when players attempted to wake the game from sleep mode or simply pressed a button to preview purchasable items. The design made it unclear when actions would result in actual charges versus browsing available content, leading to confusion that Epic Games allegedly exploited for financial gain.
Account lockouts created additional consumer harm
Epic Games compounded the billing issues by implementing a policy that locked customers out of their accounts when they disputed unauthorized charges. This practice caused affected players to lose access to all previously purchased content, creating additional barriers to resolving billing problems and discouraging legitimate dispute attempts.
The account suspension policy effectively penalized customers for questioning charges they never intended to make. Players faced an impossible choice between accepting unwanted charges or losing access to legitimately purchased game content, including items that could represent hundreds of dollars in previous spending.
Federal regulators viewed this practice as particularly egregious because it discouraged customers from seeking resolution for billing errors and created additional harm beyond the initial unwanted charges. The policy demonstrated what regulators characterized as a pattern of consumer-hostile practices designed to maximize revenue at customer expense.
Claims process remains open through summer 2025
Eligible consumers who have not yet submitted claims have until July 9, 2025, to file their requests at www.ftc.gov/fortnite. The reopened claims process allows additional affected players to seek refunds for unwanted purchases made during the specified timeframe, extending the opportunity for relief to consumers who may have missed the initial filing period.
The settlement covers charges made between 2017 and 2022, when Epic Games allegedly employed the deceptive billing practices across its platform. Players or their parents and guardians can submit claims if they experienced unwanted charges during this period, regardless of whether they continued playing the game afterward.
The FTC’s action represents a significant victory for consumer protection in the digital gaming space and sets important precedents for how federal agencies will address similar practices in the rapidly evolving gaming industry.
