After the FTC & Epic Games settlement, players are left wondering how to make a Fortnite lawsuit claim and when Fortnite refunds will begin. To resolve a lawsuit with the FTC, Fortnite’s developer, Epic Games, has just agreed to pay $520 million. The funds originate from two reports of privacy violations and attempts to deceive users into purchasing in-game items they don’t need.
The Federal Trade Commission says these fines are “the biggest penalty ever obtained for breaking an FTC rule.”
How to make a Fortnite lawsuit claim?
Seeing as how this settlement is only getting started, there is no need to rush into determining whether or not you are eligible for a Fortnite lawsuit claim.
Those who are qualified to receive a refund for Fortnite will soon receive an email with more details, but in the meanwhile, they can visit the FTC’s website for updates. The FTC strongly advises against making any kind of upfront payment to anyone, including the FTC itself, in exchange for a Fortnite lawsuit claim.
If you think you may be eligible for a payout but aren’t sure, you don’t have to do anything. As soon as more information becomes available concerning the refund scheme, the FTC will email all customers who have paid for in-game items.
Outside of the Epic Games settlement Fortnite lawsuit claim, fans should also know how to refund skins via Return Tickets.
Each account has a maximum of three “Return Tickets” that can be used to get your V-bucks refunded. Read the guidelines to learn how to return or swap Epic Games shop purchases with RTs.
- Launch the game.
- Use the panel to your left of the main door to access the main menu from the lobby.
- Click the gear icon in the top right to access the settings.
- Please choose the relevant option from the menu to submit a request for assistance or a refund.
- Choose either Cancel Order or Continue Shopping.
- Alternatively: Choose Options from the Menu
- Click the silhouette to access your Account and Privacy settings.
- Simply navigate to the Account page, where you can either Return or Cancel the Purchase. If you have made any eligible in-game purchases in the recent 30 days, your whole inventory will become visible.
- Select the product you want to return from the menu. You should buy a round-trip ticket.
- There will be a confirmation screen afterward. Products being returned must first pass inspection before being accepted.
- If you are sure you want to proceed, click Yes.
- There will be no going back once you confirm.
- On the Success screen, you’ll see how many V-Bucks were added to your account.
- Click the OK button to return to the page where you can reverse or cancel your purchase.
Please be aware that there is a yearly limit of three additional Return Tickets.
You can get your money back for Fortnite skins and other items by canceling your purchase instead of utilizing Return Tickets.
You can ask for a refund within 24 hours after purchasing V-bucks. In-game prompts will also serve as a gentle reminder that you can’t utilize the item while it’s equipped.
Each order can only be canceled once.
Who can make a Fortnite lawsuit claim?
Following the “refund system launch,” the FTC detailed who will be eligible for a Fortnite lawsuit claim and get receive refunds for Fortnite purchases. And the regulations are as follows:
- Those whose minor children had access to their credit information and made unauthorized purchases from the Epic Games Store between January 2017 and November 2018.
- Anyone who played Fortnite between January 2017 and September 2022 and was paid V-Bucks for cosmetic items they didn’t want is entitled to a refund (such as cosmetics, llamas, or battle passes)
- The account will be locked if a Fortnite account owner disputes a charge on their credit card anytime between January 2017 and September 2022.
Deep dive: Fortnite class action lawsuit explained
Epic Games has agreed to pay a record $275 million in fines and provide a record $245 million in refunds to players who were improperly charged for in-game products they did not order as part of a settlement for claimed violations of the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act.
Read on to find out everything you need to know about the settlement reached by Epic Games.
We’ve reached a settlement with the FTC. Our response: https://t.co/hrzyud8VEc
— Epic Games Newsroom (@EpicNewsroom) December 19, 2022
The Federal Trade Commission sued Epic, alleging that the company violated the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act by facilitating unsupervised communication between minors and adults. In 2017, the FTC claimed, Epic employees informed management of problems with the company’s default settings.
“Epic’s matchmaking children and teens with strangers while broadcasting players’ account names and imposing live on-by-default voice and text communications has caused substantial injury,” states the complaint. “Children and teens have been bullied, threatened, and harassed within Fortnite, including sexually. Children and teens have also been exposed to dangerous and psychologically traumatizing issues, such as suicide and self-harm, through Fortnite. And the few relevant privacy and parental controls Epic has introduced over time have not meaningfully alleviated these harms or empowered players to avoid them.”
FTC
The FTC has filed a complaint against Epic Games, claiming the business “used design methods, known as dark patterns, to trick millions of gamers into making unintended transactions” and “enabled children to rack up unlawful charges without parental input.”
Dark patterns” in the digital realm are used to manipulate users into performing tasks they hadn’t intended. The FTC claimed that the game’s “counterintuitive, uneven, and confusing button structure” was to blame for players unwittingly making in-game purchases.
After the settlement, Epic thinks the gaming industry should make it standard practice to assume that minors are playing games that aren’t meant for them.
“Fortnite is rated Teen and is directed at an older teen and college-aged audience. We recently rolled out Cabined Accounts, a new type of Epic account that provides a tailored experience that is safe and inclusive for younger players. Players under 13, or their country’s age of digital consent, whichever is higher, will be able to play Fortnite while they wait for parental consent, but in a tailored environment where certain features, such as chat and purchasing, are disabled.”
Epic Games
In addition to the monetary penalty, Epic must remove any personally identifiable information improperly disclosed through Fortnite. Without the consent of their parents, it will no longer be able to facilitate phone and text talks for children and teenagers.
A statement by Epic states that “games should go above and above to make sure players even more clearly understand when they are conducting a transaction with real money or with virtual currencies.” This prevents unintended use of real money or in-game currency. With this new policy, Fornite will begin issuing refunds.
Free-to-play (F2P) games that offer in-game cosmetic improvements for a price are known as “freemium” games and include titles like Fortnite. It’s possible that the FTC settlement will cause some game makers to rethink their approach to business.
Fortnite’s popularity has skyrocketed, and the game now has a sizable and engaged user base. It has also been a point of contention, with some arguing that it promotes violence and addiction.
The newest Fortnite trailer is shown below.
Fortnite settlement amount
As we’ve already mentioned, the total amount of the Epic Games settlement was $520 million.
An unprecedented $245 million settlement was reached after the FTC claimed that Epic Games improperly charged parents and other gamers for unwanted items and frozen the accounts of users who protested erroneous charges.
A fine of $275,000,000 was levied because of allegations that personal information was collected from children under the age of 13 without notifying parents or obtaining verifiable consent.
Fortnite settlement amount per person
What is the Fortnite refund amount? The total amount of the Epic Games settlement will be divided among all those who apply. Therefore, at the time of this writing, it is unknown.
Fortnite settlement payout data
As of yet, Epic Games has not promised a timeline for handling refund requests or distributing compensation to eligible players. However, after all the data is collected, reimbursements for Fortnite will begin.
If you want to learn more about the colony, visit the site designated for that purpose.
Check out our other article about learn why Epic Games fined 520 million, or visit the settlement’s official website.
What is Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA)?
In 1998, the federal government passed the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) to protect the privacy of children under the age of 13.
As of April 2000, the law that Congress had passed in 1998 had become active. COPPA’s Regulation falls under the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
