It looks like Square Enix isn’t the only one making money using questionable methods, with Epic Games apparently sharing some of those methods. We talked about having to pay the amount. The settlement amounted to an estimated $520 million, of which $245 million went to Fortnite’s store and refund system. And now I need payment.
According to ComicBook, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has reached an agreement with Fortnite makers to refund $245 million worth of V-Bucks to players.The above penalty amount is now final. and federal agencies have confirmed that it will be used to compensate U.S. players and parents whose children have accidentally or fraudulently purchased V-Bucks or cosmetics. Fortnite, the world’s most famous battle royale game with hundreds of playable crossovers like Dragon Ball, is free to download and play, but certain cosmetics cost real money.
This is nothing new, many games have in-game stores that rely on payment systems and fast payment processing, but almost all require authentication – not Epic Games’ Fortnite Store. that’s only part of the problem.
Epic Games has also been accused of using a deceptive and counterintuitive interface to trick gamers, especially children, into making unintended purchases.
Children make up a large portion of Fortnite’s player base, who may charge without their parents’ knowledge or consent due to the lack of proper payment verification systems. Combined with the fact that Epic used shady tactics to lure people into unintended purchases, it’s completely understandable why the company sparked parental outrage and FTC inspections. And here we move on to another part of the problem: refund disputes.