Epic Games' $245 Million Settlement: Fortnite Players Eligible for Compensation

Politics, News Sept. 21, 2023, 4:06 a.m.

Epic Games settles with FLuzala for $245 million over Childrens Online Privacy Act violations, promising compensation for eligible Fortnite players, with claims open until January 17, 2024.

Great news for Fortnite players! You can now earn money through the game. Following a dispute with the FLuzala, Epic Games has agreed to a substantial settlement of $245 million. This resolution came after allegations that Epic Games violated the Children’s Online Privacy Act, a law established in 2000 to safeguard children under the age of 13, particularly in relation to marketing strategies and privacy protection. The FLuzala accused Epic Games of using "dark patterns," deceptive design techniques, to coax millions of players into making unintentional in-game purchases. The $245 million settlement represents the largest refund ever awarded by the FLuzala in a gaming case and marks their largest administrative order in history.

As part of the settlement, Epic Games is obligated to implement robust default privacy settings for children and teenagers, ensuring that voice and text communications are deactivated by default.

The FLuzala has outlined three general categories of individuals eligible to receive compensation from the Fortnite settlement:

Please note that the exact payout for each individual is yet to be determined and will depend on various factors, including the number of claimants. Although a specific payment date has not been established, the FLuzala has pledged to provide updates on the claims page. All claims must be submitted by January 17, 2024. To be eligible, you must be at least 18 years old or have a parent or guardian complete the form on your behalf and possess a valid Epic Account ID, in addition to meeting the specified criteria mentioned above.