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Can You Claim Part of $245 Million Fortnite Settlement?
Fortnite has set tons of records over its life so far, most of them positive, but there’s one impressive sum that Epic might have preferred not to have achieved. A long-term court case has finally reached its conclusion and there’s a Fortnite settlement coming to players of the game from developer Epic.
It even means that some players might be able to claim refunds for some purchases in Fortnite. There might be quite a few players out there keen to get a refund for some of the pricier Fortnite skins, but Epic is only issuing refunds to players in some specific circumstances. Claims have just opened up, so affected fans can start the process of getting a refund now.
© Epic Games
Why is Epic having to issue refunds though and are you eligible for any money back?
What is the Fortnite FTC Settlement?
For a while now, there’s been an ongoing legal battle between Epic Games and the FTC. The main point of contention was that the initial form of monetization for Fortnite misled players into making purchases. After a lengthier journey, Epic eventually settled and agreed to pay $250 million in a Fortnite settlement. While Epic’s completely optional cosmetic purchases seem quite gentle compared to loot boxes and other more toxic tactics, its younger player base and data collection drew criticism from the FTC.
Essentially, the FTC believes Fortnite used “deceptive practices to trick players into making unwanted purchases”. That’s something that Epic has fixed for everyone more recently, now offering in-game refunds for unwanted or accidental purchases. However, for more historic purchases, the Fortnite settlement is now claimable, but you need to fit a certain situation to get some of the cash spent back.
How Can Players Apply?
Eligible players are quite specific, it isn’t just everyone who played Fortnite. It has to be people who were charged for items they didn’t want between January 2017 and September 2022. Parents whose children ran up charges between January 2017 and January 2018 are also eligible. So are those who got their account locked after appealing charges with their payment providers.
These are quite specific criteria for the Fortnite settlement, but how do you apply if you fit this? Players will be reached out to with an email from the FTC that provides a specific claim number. You can also go to the FTC website and file a claim using your Epic ID.
The time limit for making an appeal only runs to January 17 2024. Players need to claim before then if they want a share of the Fortnite settlement.
