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Last year, the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) hit Epic Games with a $245M fine as the government body found that the company was using deceptive dark patterns to trick gamers into making unwanted purchases in Fortnite, with the money being set aside for refunds. At long last, those refunds are starting to make their way to affected players.
So far, a total of $72M is being issued to the 629,344 gamers who filed a claim last October, with payments being handed out either via a check or through PayPal. The figure represents about a third of what the FTC required Epic Games to pay as a result of the company “unlawfully [charging] players for unwanted purchases, [letting] children rack up unauthorized charges without their parents’ permission, and [blocking] some users who disputed wrongful charges from accessing their purchased content.”
There is still time to make a claim if you’re among those who believe they’re owed money: Just apply for a refund before January 10th, 2025 (note, you have to be over 18 to apply, so if you’re a kid, you’ll have to tell your parents to do it for you).
Meanwhile, there’s a new mode live in LEGO Fortnite as of Thursday, December 12th, known as Brick Life, described by Epic as “an all-new social roleplay experience in the LEGO Fortnite world.” The whole thing basically reads like a Sims Online-style affair, with up to 32 players living out life in the city of Brick Bay, where they can take up dream jobs, decorate houses or apartments, and join in on social activities like band practices or hoverboard races. Just be careful not to buy anything you don’t want from the cash shop.