In a groundbreaking move, the Federal Trade Commission has paved the way for eligible Fortnite players to receive and be compensated following Epic Games’ settlement for a whopping $245 million.
This significant gesture traces back to accusations against the Fortnite developers, suggesting a breach of the Children’s Online Privacy Act.
Initiated in 2000, this act is dedicated to safeguarding children aged 13 or below from potentially exploitative marketing strategies and violations of privacy.
The crux of the FTC’s claim against Epic Games revolved around the gaming company’s alleged use of “dark patterns. Such patterns, as per the FTC, were craftily employed to mislead millions of players into unintentional purchases within the game. This settlement, amassing $245 million, sets a notable precedent as it emerges as the most substantial refund amount ever decreed in a gaming-related case and marks the FTC’s grandest administrative order in its historical records.
To ensure player protection, the FTC has mandated Epic Games to initiate robust privacy settings, particularly aimed at young users. These settings are expected to ensure that both voice and text communications are disabled by default for children and teenage players.
For those wondering about their eligibility to partake in this compensation, the FTC has listed three primary scenarios:
- Players who faced unwarranted deductions of in-game currency for items they didn’t intentionally purchase between January 2017 and September 2022.
- Parents who found unexpected charges on their credit cards, carried out without their knowledge by their children between January 2017 and November 2018.
- If a player’s account was suspended between January 2017 and September 2022 due to raising complaints about improper charges with their credit card provider
While the specific amount of compensation is still under deliberation, it will be largely determined by factors including the total number of claimants. Moreover, while there is no fixed timeline currently announced for the disbursement of these compensations, the FTC assures that updates will be posted on their claims page.
To be deemed eligible for this refund, claimants must file their claim by January 17, 2024. It is imperative that they are either 18 or older or have a guardian to complete the claim on their behalf. Additionally, a valid Epic Account ID is mandatory.
This settlement and the subsequent refund initiative come as a significant move, emphasizing the need for video game companies to prioritize player safety, transparency, and ethical business practices. Similar actions could set standard to ensure that companies remain accountable for their actions and in-game environments remain player-centric.
