Even if you’re not competing in the “battle royale” that is Fortnite, your teenage and twentysomething kids or grandkids, especially males, are likely immersed in the popular video game. Many are playing on computers, smartphones and video game consoles, sometimes for hours.
Those youngsters, or perhaps those of you caring for them, may be in line for some cash.
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission is sending some 969,000 payments totaling $126 million in refunds to Fortnite players who, the agency says, “were charged for unwanted purchases while playing the game.”
The refunds are part of a $245 million settlement reached with Fortnite developer Epic Games in 2023, which the FTC alleged “used dark patterns to trick players into making unwanted purchases and let children rack up unauthorized charges without any parental involvement.”
The game itself is free, but players can purchase cosmetic items using the in-app virtual currency V-Bucks.
With this latest round of payments, the FTC has issued nearly $200 million in refunds associated with the Fortnite case so far.
How to file
If you haven’t already, you can file a claim at an FTC website established for that purpose, but you must act by the July 9 deadline.
Begin by entering your 32-character Epic Account ID, which would have been assigned when your account was created. You can find it within Fortnite from the lobby by clicking on the player’s profile picture, choosing Settings (the gear icon) |Account and then the Privacy tab. Hover over Epic Account ID, and the ID will appear to the right.
You might also have received a claim number by email.
As part of the claims process, you can select how you’d like to receive a refund, either by check or via PayPal. If the player is under 18, the FTC says forms should be filled in by parents or guardians.
Am I eligible?
According to the agency, players qualify for a refund if any of these three statements are true:
1. You were charged in-game currency for items you didn’t want between January 2017 and September 2022.
2. Your child made charges to your credit card without your knowledge between January 2017 and November 2018.
3. Your account was locked between January 2017 and September 2022 after you complained to your credit card company about wrongful charges.
While many people have already received payments, people submitting claims now won’t see refunds until 2026, the FTC says.
Older video game players want better representation
Only 2 percent of Fortnite players are between 45 and 54, a mere 0.1 percent 55-plus, according to stats cited by Demandsage, a data insights firm with offices in Sacramento. Nearly 90% of players are male.
That said, some older folks do play video games, if not quite as many as younger cohorts. But 70% of people 50-plus surveyed by AARP Research feel that video games are generally designed with older players as an afterthought. Those who partake see video games not only as a way to have fun but also to reduce stress and pass the time.
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