The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has initiated a new wave of refunds for Fortnite players, stemming from a significant settlement in 2022 where Epic Games agreed to pay $245 million. This decision came after allegations that the company engaged in deceptive practices, tricking consumers into making unintended purchases. The first batch of refunds, distributed in December 2024, saw over 629,000 players receiving an average payout of $114 as compensation for their claims.
The FTC’s initial announcement outlined the reasoning behind these refunds, highlighting issues with the game’s button configuration. They described it as “counterintuitive, inconsistent, and confusing,” which likely led to accidental purchases by players. More recently, on June 25 and 26, the FTC revealed that around $126 million has been allocated for the second round of refunds.
When combined with the first round, this brings the total refunds to approximately $198 million, leaving about $47 million remaining from the original settlement. Players eligible for these refunds can submit new claims until July 9 at ftc.gov/fortnite. To qualify, individuals must adhere to certain stipulations: if refunds are issued through PayPal, they must be accepted within 30 days; for checks, they must be cashed within 90 days.
The FTC’s claims against Epic Games included violations related to the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) for collecting minors’ personal information, as well as the burden of confusing purchase prompts. Besides financial restitution, the settlement mandated that Epic Games must obtain positive consent before charging players and stop locking them out of their accounts over disputed transactions. While these changes are promising for consumer rights, it remains to be seen if Epic Games will adequately address ongoing issues that have led to previous refund situations.