Epic Games, makers of the popular battle royale game Fortnite, have been ordered by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to reimburse players $245 million.
The ruling was revealed on Tuesday, Mar. 14, saying these penalties are for utilizing "dark patterns" to lure its customers into making undesired or unauthorized transactions.
Editor's Note: In December of 2022, Epic addressed the issue and clearly explained what happened, and why it happened. You can read their full official statement here.
A Hit Game for Various Players
Fortnite is now one of the biggest names in video games, yet it started off as an early-access title in 2017. According to GameRant, the game has come to represent the whole battle royale subgenre in the eyes of many players due to its constant stream of pop-culture crossovers and widespread availability across several platforms.
Notably, this hit game may now be downloaded on mobile phones, computers, and consoles such as PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox One S.
Thanks to the millions of dollars in monthly in-game sales, Epic Games can keep pumping out big free upgrades to Fortnite, which in turn assist the game in development.
Conclusion of Inquiries
Revenues from Epic Games' free-to-play shooter, Fortnite, have skyrocketed, drawing the attention of financial and consumer watchdogs in the US and others.
The FTC ordered Epic Games to pay more than $520 million as part of a settlement last year relating to the company's aggressive business tactics and failure to safeguard younger players' privacy. This was the culmination of investigations into the firm's business operations in the US.
The $245 million compensation decision recently reached by the FTC is a portion of the broader settlement. It pertains to Epic Games' usage of "dark patterns" in Fortnite that were meant to lead users to rack up unexpected charges.
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The 'Dark Pattern'
According to the ruling, "counterintuitive, inconsistent, and confusing" button layouts that made it easier for users to mistakenly spend money in Fortnite with a single button push were part of the "dark pattern" used by the video game developer.
Reports indicate that the FTC also alleged Epic Games for retaliating against gamers who protested the erroneous charges by banning those players' accounts, making it difficult for them to play the game.
Epic Games is prohibited from utilizing dark patterns or "otherwise charging consumers without obtaining their affirmative consent" and must spend the $245 million to reimburse customers who were improperly charged.
The recent decision by the FTC should be excellent news for customers who found themselves facing a stack of unexpected V-Bucks charges after they or their kids hopped online for a few games of Fortnite.
As Epic Games can no longer rely on deceitful methods to increase profits, it is hoped that the developer would shift its attention to making Fortnite a service that people will pay for on purpose.
