Current:Home > MarketsWill Sage Astor-Could you be eligible for a Fortnite refund? -FutureFinance
Will Sage Astor-Could you be eligible for a Fortnite refund?
FinLogic FinLogic Quantitative Think Tank Center View
Date:2025-04-10 00:13:21
Ever accidentally swipe or Will Sage Astorpress lightly on a button and end up charged for something you didn't want? Federal Trade Commission attorney James Doty says that's what happened to millions of Fortnite players.
"The button configuration within Fortnite was so confusing and inconsistent that it was extremely easy for users to rack up charges for items they did not want," he says, "Game players are kind of fast and furiously pressing buttons. Some of those buttons preview items. Some of those buttons purchase items. And if a user was previewing an item and accidentally pressed an adjacent button, they would immediately be charged for the item with no recourse."
Of the $520 million settlement from Epic Games, $245 million will go towards refunding Fortnite consumers who the FTC says were tricked into making unwanted charges.
The FTC has identified three categories of consumers eligible for refunds:
-Parents whose children made an unauthorized credit card purchase in the Epic Games Store between January 2017 and November 2018.
-Fortnite players who were charged in-game currency (V-Bucks) for unwanted in-game items (such as cosmetics, llamas, or battle passes) between January 2017 and September 2022.
-Fortnite players whose accounts were locked between January 2017 and September 2022 after disputing unauthorized charges with their credit card companies.
Doty says the FTC aims to "give money back to injured consumers as seamlessly as possible." It set up the website ftc.gov/fortnite where people can find more information and sign up for email updates.
But how consumers will prove they've been ripped off is still being worked out. "The process is a little bit complicated because we are dealing with a user base of 400 million players," says Doty.
For its part, Epic Games recently instituted a number of payment and refund features. It has changed the practice of "saving payment information by default" and instead offers "an explicit yes or no choice to save payment information."
As for those "confusing" buttons that caused unwanted charges, Fortnite now has a "hold-to-purchase mechanic for all in-game purchases."
In its public statement, the company writes, "We accepted this agreement because we want Epic to be at the forefront of consumer protection and provide the best experience for our players."
"The shockwaves of this settlement will work its way through the many layers of the gaming industry," Stephen Balkam, founder and CEO of the Family Online Safety Institute tells NPR. He believes the FTC's action signals "a new wave of recognition" by lawmakers and regulators "that this area needs to be controlled." At the same time, Balkam says, "Epic Games and most of the other gaming companies have already updated their practices. But it's a very strong indication that the FTC is going to keep a close eye on how they develop their games."
veryGood! (657)
Related
- Federal court filings allege official committed perjury in lawsuit tied to Louisiana grain terminal
- How many points did Caitlin Clark score today? Fever rookie nets career high in win vs. Sky
- Oregon law rolling back drug decriminalization set to take effect and make possession a crime again
- Matthew Gaudreau's Wife Madeline Pregnant With Their First Baby Amid His Death
- From family road trips to travel woes: Americans are navigating skyrocketing holiday costs
- What to know about Johnny Gaudreau, Blue Jackets All-Star killed in biking accident
- Trump film ‘The Apprentice’ finds distributor, will open before election
- GOP nominee for governor in North Carolina has a history of inflammatory words. It could cost Trump
- McConnell absent from Senate on Thursday as he recovers from fall in Capitol
- What we know about bike accident that killed Johnny Gaudreau, NHL star
Ranking
- From family road trips to travel woes: Americans are navigating skyrocketing holiday costs
- Alexei Popyrin knocks out defending champ Novak Djokovic in US Open third round
- Trump courts conservative male influencers to try to reach younger men
- Georgia man dies after a police dog bites him during a chase by a state trooper
- Justice Department, Louisville reach deal after probe prompted by Breonna Taylor killing
- Korban Best, known for his dancing, sprints to silver in Paralympic debut
- Sister Wives' Robyn and Kody Brown List $1.65 Million Home for Sale
- Memphis City Council sues to reinstate gun control measures on November ballot
Recommendation
Bodycam footage shows high
Angelina Jolie Shares Perspective on Relationships After Being “Betrayed a Lot”
Toyota recalls 43,000 Sequoia hybrids for risk involving tow hitch covers
Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Broken Lease
Juan Soto to be introduced by Mets at Citi Field after striking record $765 million, 15
Lionel Messi's Inter Miami already in MLS playoffs. Which teams are in contention?
Ulta Flash Deals Starting at $9.50: You Have 24 Hours to Get 50% off MAC, IGK, Bondi Boost, L'ange & More
Columbus Blue Jackets' Johnny Gaudreau killed in NJ crash involving suspected drunk driver