FTC sending $72 million in refunds to Fortnite players who were charged for unwanted purchases

The Federal Trade Commission is sending more than 629,000 refund payments worth $72 million to customers of Fortnite developer Epic Games who were charged for items they never wanted.

The payments are part of a $245 million settlement to resolve FTC allegations that Fortnite induced players, some of them children, to unwittingly make purchases while trying to wake up the game from sleep mode, while the game was loading or while the player was trying to preview an item.

The FTC also said the company charged the video game’s players for unwanted purchases, let children charge items without their parents’ permission, and blocked users who disputed wrongful charges.

As part of the 2022 settlement, Epic Games must get consent before charging users and cannot lock players out of their accounts for disputing charges.

The company also added an option for saving payment information, a “hold to purchase” mechanism to ensure a customer’s intent to buy something during a game, instant cancellation for purchases, and daily spending limits for players under 13.

The payments cover claims for reimbursement before Oct. 8, the FTC said. The agency is still reviewing claims made after that date, and the window to file is open until Jan. 10.