Fortnite Players Poised to Receive $72 Million in Refunds for “Dark Patterns” Tactics

More than 600,000 Fortnite players are set to receive refunds totaling over $72 million after a legal battle with Epic Games, the creators of the popular video game. The refunds come as a result of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) finding Epic guilty of using “dark patterns” in the game’s interface to trick players into making unwanted purchases.

How Epic Games Was Fined

The FTC’s investigation concluded that Fortnite’s confusing and counterintuitive button configuration led players, both children and adults, to incur unexpected charges. In some instances, players were charged simply by attempting to wake the game from sleep mode or while in a loading screen. In other scenarios, they were charged when accidentally pressing an adjacent button while previewing an item.

“Fortnite’s counterintuitive, inconsistent, and confusing button configuration led players of all ages to incur unwanted charges based on the press of a single button,” the FTC stated.

Epic’s Response and Future Payouts

This first round of refunds covers 629,344 individuals, with the average payment amounting to approximately $114. Payments are being distributed via PayPal and by check. While the FTC has acknowledged the scale of the issue, it is unclear if every dollar wrongfully charged will be recouped.

Epic Games has referred to a statement issued in 2022 when the FTC first announced the settlement.

Beyond Fortnite: Epic’s Ongoing Legal Battles

The FTC case is just one front in Epic Games’ ongoing legal battles. The company is also embroiled in disputes with Apple and Google over app store fees and practices.

In 2023, a court sided with Apple in its fight against Epic’s accusations of monopolistic practices, but Apple was ordered to allow developers to guide users to alternative payment methods outside of the App Store. This legal clash eventually reached the US Supreme Court, which declined to hear further appeals. While Apple is now allowing external payment links, developers still have to pay a commission on these transactions via Apple’s in-app purchase system.

Epic’s legal battle with Google revolves around similar claims, alleging that Google Play Store also operates as a monopoly. A judge upheld these claims in October 2023, but Google vows to appeal the decision, which would force them to allow third-party app stores on Android.

Have You Been Affected?

If you believe you were a victim of “dark patterns” in Fortnite, visit the FTC’s website for information on eligibility and how to claim a refund: https://www.ftc.gov/enforcement/recent-ftc-cases-resulting-refunds/refund-programs-frequently-asked-questions#Question%203