If you're an avid Fortnite player and have been playing the game since its release, you might find yourself entitled to some compensation. Developers Epic Games have agreed to pay $245 million to users as part of a settlement with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which recently hit Microsoft with a multi-million dollar fine.
The news follows on from recent Instagram and Facebook settlements, which also gave users the opportunity to claim a small fraction of a much larger amount agreed upon during legal proceedings.
There are likely to be other big tech companies paying out soon too as governments seem increasingly inclined to hold them accountable for violating different consumer rights.
Why Is Fortnite Paying Users Back?
In December 2022, Fortnite developers Epic Games settled two US lawsuits, one of which alleged the company had used deceptive methods to ensure users were purchasing in-game products. This lawsuit specifically will cost the company $245 million.
The FTC says that “the company charged parents and gamers of all ages for unwanted items and locked the accounts of customers who disputed wrongful charges with their credit card companies.”
Around 37 million users are thought to have been impacted by the first lawsuit and may qualify for compensation.
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As part of a separate settlement, $275 million will be paid to the US government for compiling the personal information of individuals under the age of 13 without their parent’s consent.
Although the case was settled more than eight months ago, the claims process has only just opened up, which is why it’s been hitting the headlines again.
How to Claim Your Fortnite Settlement Compensation
The claims process is now open, and you can make your settlement claim here. You have to be over the age of 18 to apply, but if you aren’t, a parent can complete the form on your behalf.
However, the FTC says that you have to satisfy at least one of the below conditions if you want to be considered eligible for a claim:
- You were charged in-game currency for items you didn’t want between January 2017 and September 2022
- One of your children made charges to your credit card between January 2017 and November 2018 without you knowing about it
- You were locked out of your account between January 2017 and September 2022 after you made your credit card company aware of the wrongful charges
When submitting your claim, make sure you have a claim number – which you will have received by email – or your Epic account ID close to hand.
When Is the Deadline to Apply?
You don’t have to rush to apply for your portion of the settlement money right this second – you’ve got almost three full months to apply, with the deadline being January 17, 2024.
But if you were a Fortnite player active between the above-listed dates – and you experienced issues relating to deceptive or unauthorized payments – then it’s definitely worth going through the short application process for.
