Fortnite is paying out its lawsuit, here’s how to sign up

For those who have made accidental purchases in Fortnite, there’s still time to sign up and get their money back through the FTC lawsuit.

Fortnite is arguably one of the most played and most profitable games currently available. This makes it all the more important when the United States Federal Trade Commission deems that Epic Games had engaged in unlawful business practices. Allegations include purposefully leading players to make unwanted purchases and making it easy for children to purchase items. The 2022 settlement had two major beneficial effects for players in requiring positive authorization for purchases and banning retributive account lockouts. Some, however, may be able to receive significant monetary compensation for their experiences.

While payments are already coming out, it’s still possible to join in on the action and file a claim for the Fortnite lawsuit. Here’s what potential beneficiaries need to know.

How to join the Fortnite lawsuit

Users with Epic Games accounts can easily sign up to join the Fortnite lawsuit through the official FTC website.

The only place to file a claim is directly through the FTC website. Applicants either need to have their Epic Account ID or previously emailed claim number. Additionally, they need to meet one of the following criteria in order to be eligible for a refund:

• A child made Fortnite purchases between January 2017 and November 2018 without a parent’s permission
• A player was charged in-game currency for items they did not want between January 2017 and September 2022
• Epic Games locked the player’s account after attempting to dispute said charges with their credit card company between January 2017 and September 2022

Unfortunately for many international players, the Fortnite lawsuit is only for those registered in the United States. The lawsuit is also only open to those over 18. Any younger players who were mistakenly charged will need to get a parent to file on their behalf.

Users are able to file a claim to join the lawsuit until January 10, 2025. As of right now, the FTC has processed claims filed through October 8. They will send out the next round of payments at an undisclosed time in 2025 by check or PayPal.

How much money can you expect to get?

The exact amount refunded depends on the number of claimants filing and the amount of the original purchase.

As of now, recipients are reporting receiving between $20 and $500, with $200-$300 being a more common refund amount. FTC v Epic Games has sent out over 600,000 payments totaling $72 million so far to claims processed on or before October 8. However, Epic Games originally agreed to pay $245 million, meaning that there could be a lot more to go around.

The FTC has also clarified players won’t lose any items purchased, even if they were accidental or non-intentional purchases. This sadly doesn’t extend to battle passes, which would have expired by now, or any other time-limited spends.

In the grand scheme, $245 million is a drop in the bucket for Epic Games. Still, players who were wrongly charged should make sure to apply for the Fortnite lawsuit and get some of their hard-earned money back. If nothing else, they can at least spend it on the new Chapter 6 battle pass.