(NEXSTAR) – Time is ticking for Fortnite gamers and their parents or guardians to file a claim tied to a multimillion-dollar settlement over online charges.
On Wednesday, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced that it is sending 969,173 payments totaling over $126 million to eligible recipients who filed by Feb. 14. The average refund amount was about $130, a spokesperson told Nexstar.
The FTC is also reopening the claims process for another two weeks, giving people until July 9 to apply.
The payments stem from a 2022 settlement with Fortnite developer Epic Games, which agreed to pay $520 million over privacy settings and allegations that young players of the wildly popular game were duped into making unwanted purchases “based on the press of a single button.”
Examples of the so-called “dark patterns” used to trick users into spending money included payments triggered by waking the game from sleep mode or pressing a button while trying to preview an item, according to the FTC.
The FTC claimed that Fortnite even blocked some users who disputed the invoices from accessing content they paid for.
As part of the settlement, Epic agreed to get consent before charging its millions of daily users, and to keep from locking accounts over disputes related to unauthorized charges, according to the FTC.
Epic addressed the initial announcement of the settlement saying it had agreed to the payout because it wanted “to be at the forefront of consumer protection and provide the best experience for our players.”
The Cary, North Carolina-based gaming company added that it was making changes “to ensure our ecosystem meets the expectations of our players and regulators, which we hope will be a helpful guide for others in our industry.”
How do I file for a payment?
Eligible claimants who are at least 18 years old can file for part of the settlement money by applying on the FTC website.
Anyone who has already applied after Feb. 14, 2025 need not reapply, according to the FTC, which is still reviewing claims filed since that date.
You may apply for a refund if any one of the following is accurate:
- You were charged in-game currency for items you didn’t want between January 2017 and September 2022
- Your child made charges to your credit card without your knowledge between January 2017 and November 2018
- Your account was locked between January 2017 and September 2022 after you complained to your credit card company about wrongful charges
The FTC advises anyone who opts for a check to cash it within 90 days. PayPal recipients should accept the payment within 30 days.
Anyone with additional questions can visit the FTC FAQ page or call the refund administrator at 1-833-915-0880.
