Today the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) concluded an order against Epic Games regarding the case of unwanted purchases of Fortnite. The FTC has argued that Epic has implemented a number of tactics to push unwanted purchases of virtual currency within the battle royale; these tactics have led to millions of dollars in unauthorized spending by consumers. With the order now in effect, the company will have to pay a $245 million fine. This money will go towards refunds for players who have been affected by these practices.
Consumers who feel they have been wrongly charged for purchases in Fortnite can contact a website set up by the FTC to request your refund. The FTC intends to make available the refunds for the following users:
- Parents whose children made an unauthorized credit card purchase on the Epic Games Store between January 2017 and November 2018.
- Fortnite players 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 blocked between January 2017 and September 2022 after disputing unauthorized charges with credit card companies.
Furthermore, the order will prohibit Epic Games to charge customers without having obtained their consent. Fortnite will no longer be able to block access to their accounts for consumers who dispute unauthorized charges.
The Commission’s vote was unanimous, with a 4-0 in favor of approving the lawsuit and order against Epic Games. The company will have to pay and players who feel unfairly charged will be refunded.
Going beyond the lawsuit, we know that for the CEO of Epic Games, AIs should not use artwork without the author’s consent.
#Epic #Games #loses #pay #fine #refunds #Fortnite #players #conclusion #FTC