Fortnite Refund: Key Details and How to Apply

Deadline to Apply

The deadline to file a claim for a Fortnite refund is January 10, 2025. This is the last day you can submit your claim to be eligible for a refund.

Who is Eligible?

You can apply for a refund if any of the following apply:

• You were charged for in-game items you didn’t want between January 2017 and September 2022.
• Your child made unauthorized charges to your credit card without your knowledge between January 2017 and November 2018.
• Your account was locked between January 2017 and September 2022 after you disputed wrongful charges with your credit card company.

Only U.S. residents are eligible, and you must be at least 18 years old to complete the claim form. If you are under 18, a parent or guardian must complete the form for you.

How to Apply

To apply for a refund, go to www.fortniterefund.com/file-a-claim. You will need either a claim number or your Epic Account ID. If you didn’t receive an email with a claim number, you can find your Epic Account ID on the Epic Games website.

Refund Amounts

The FTC is sending refunds totaling over $72 million to affected players. The average refund in the first round of payments was about $114. The amount you receive will depend on several factors, including the number of people who file claims.

Payment Methods

You can choose to receive your refund via check or PayPal. If you receive a check, you must cash it within 90 days. For PayPal payments, you must accept them within 30 days.

Impact on Fortnite Accounts

Filing a claim will not affect your Fortnite account or any items you have purchased.

Additional Payments

The FTC has already sent out the first round of payments, with additional payments expected in 2025 after all claims have been reviewed and validated.

Background of the Settlement

The refunds are part of a $245 million settlement between the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Epic Games. The FTC alleged that Epic Games used deceptive practices, such as “dark patterns,” to trick players into making unwanted purchases. These practices included allowing children to make unauthorized charges without parental consent and blocking users from accessing their purchased content after they disputed charges.

Contact Information

For more information or help with your claim, you can contact the refund administrator at 1-833-915-0880 or email them at [email protected].

Extended Information

FTC Actions Against Epic Games

The FTC’s action against Epic Games highlights the importance of consumer protection in the digital gaming industry. Epic Games was accused of using confusing and counterintuitive button configurations that led players to incur unwanted charges. For example, players could be charged while trying to wake the game from sleep mode or while the game was in a loading screen.

Consumer Protection

This settlement sets a precedent for how game developers should handle in-game purchases and user consent. Epic Games is now required to obtain positive consent before charging users and is banned from locking players out of their accounts for disputing unauthorized charges.

Future Payments

While the first round of payments has been sent out, additional payments will be distributed in 2025. The FTC will update the information on their website once the review and validation of all claims are complete.

International Players

Currently, the claims process is limited to Fortnite players in the U.S. International players who were affected by these practices are not eligible for this specific refund program.

By ensuring that companies adhere to fair and transparent practices, the FTC protects consumers from deceptive billing tactics, making the gaming experience safer and more trustworthy for everyone.