The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is sending over $72 million in refunds to Fortnite players who were unfairly charged by Epic Games.
This is part of a settlement where Epic Games agreed to pay $245 million after the FTC accused the company of using tricks, called "dark patterns," to make unwanted purchases easy.
Epic also allowed children to make unauthorized charges without parental approval and blocked some users from accessing content when they disputed charges.
The FTC found that Fortnite's confusing button setup caused accidental charges. Players could be charged by pressing a single button while the game was loading, waking from sleep mode, or previewing an item.
The FTC is now sending out 629,344 payments, half through PayPal and half as checks. Payments average about $114. PayPal recipients should redeem their money within 30 days, and checks should be cashed within 90 days.
For questions about payments, consumers can contact Rust Consulting, Inc., at 1-833-915-0880 or email admin@fortniterefund.com. Additional information and a claim form for eligible consumers are available at www.ftc.gov/fortnite. The FTC warns people not to pay or share account information to receive a refund.