The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) said it’s already doled out more than $126 million in refunds to Fortnite players who were charged for unwanted purchases, an amount that represents roughly half of the agreed upon $245 million settlement with Epic Games. In addition, the FTC is reopening the claims the process, with eligible participants now having until July 9, 2025 to submit a claim.

This has been a nearly three-year saga that is finally nearing the finish line. The FTC reached a $245 million settlement agreement with Epic Games back in December 2022, which at the time was the largest refund amount ever in the video game sector. The FTC accused Epic Games of using deceptive practices to trick players into making unwanted purchases.

According to the FTC, Epic Games ran afoul of the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). At the time, the FTC alleged that Fortnite’s “counterintuitive, inconsistent, and confusing button configuration” caused players of all ages to incur unwanted charges. One example it gave was the possibility that a gamer could be charged when attempting to take the game from sleep mode.

“In December 2024, the FTC issued the first round of refunds, 629,344 payments totaling more than $72 million. As part of this latest round of refunds, the FTC will send 969,173 checks and PayPal payments on June 25 and June 26 to consumers who filed a valid claim. Today’s announcement brings the total amount of refunds the FTC has issued to consumers related to Epic’s deceptive billing practices to nearly $200 million,” the FTC states in a new notice outlining the extended time frame to file a claim.

Players who might qualify for a refund include…

The Federal Trade Commission announced Wednesday, June 25 it is sending more than $126 million in refunds to Fortnite players who were charged for unwanted purchases while playing the game.

The agency also said it is reopening the process for Fortnite players, or their parents or guardians, to submit a claim stemming from the FTC’s 2023 settlement with Epic Games, the game’s developer.

Epic Games agreed to pay $245 million to settle the FTC’s allegations that the developer used “deceptive practices” to trick players into making unwanted purchases.

The FTC issued its first round of refunds in December 2024, which saw the agency send over 629,000 payments totaling more than $72 million. In the latest round of refunds, the agency says it will send nearly 970,000 checks and PayPal payments to consumers who have filed a valid claim.

“Today’s announcement brings the total amount of refunds the FTC has issued to consumer related to Epic’s deceptive billing practices to nearly $200 million,” the FTC said in a news release June 25.

Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.

The FTC said consumers selected their payment method when they completed their claim form. Check recipients should cash their checks within 90 days, as indicted on the check, while PayPal recipients should redeem their payments within 30 days, the agency said.

Eligible consumers who have not yet submitted a claim have until July 9, 2025, to submit one at www.ftc.gov/fortnite.

FTC says Epic Games ‘tricked’ customers into unwanted purchases

Fortnite, best known for its Battle Royale mode in which up to 100 players can fight it out to the last one standing, is free to download and play. But the game charges players for a slew of in-game items and experiences – known among gamers as microtransactions – such as costumes and dance moves.

Microtransactions are a common feature in video games and one many gamers have come to expect and understand.

But according to the FTC, Epic Games used a design tactic known as “dark patterns” that concealed in-game purchases, allowing children to rack up unauthorized charges without parental consent.

In some cases, just the single accidental press of one button led players of all ages to incur charges that they hadn’t agreed to, the FTC says. This could occur for players who tried to wake the game from sleep mode or who pressed a button to merely preview a purchasable item, the agency said in a complaint, which outline offenses from 2017 to 2022.

Epic Games also was accused of locking customers who disputed unauthorized charges out of their accounts, causing them to lose access to all the content they purchased.

Under a proposed administrative order with the FTC, Epic agreed to pay $245 million, which will be used to refund consumers. The settlement, reached in December 2022, represents the FTC’s largest refund amount in a gaming case.

Contributing: Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY

Gabe Hauari is a national trending news reporter at USA TODAY. You can follow him on X @GabeHauari or email him at Gdhauari@gannett.com.

The agency also announced it is reopening the process for Fortnite gamers and their parents or guardians to submit a claim for compensation stemming from the agency’s 2023 settlement with Fortnite developer Epic Games. The company agreed to pay $245 million to settle the FTC’s allegations that Epic used deceptive practices to trick players into making unwanted purchases.

Eligible consumers who have not yet submitted a claim will now have until July 9, 2025, to submit one at www.ftc.gov/fortnite.

In December 2024, the FTC issued the first round of refunds, 629,344 payments totaling more than $72 million. As part of this latest round of refunds, the FTC will send 969,173 checks and PayPal payments on June 25 and June 26 to consumers who filed a valid claim.

Today’s announcement brings the total amount of refunds the FTC has issued to consumers related to Epic’s deceptive billing practices to nearly $200 million.

Consumers selected their payment method when they completed their claim form. Check recipients should cash their checks within 90 days, as indicated on the check. PayPal recipients should redeem their PayPal payments within 30 days.

Consumers who have questions about their payment should contact the refund administrator, Rust Consulting, Inc, at 1-833-915-0880 or by email at admin@fortniterefund.com. The Commission never requires people to pay money or provide account information to get a refund.

The Commission’s interactive dashboards for refund data provide a state-by-state breakdown of refunds in FTC cases. In 2024, FTC actions led to more than $339 million in refunds to consumers across the country.