Fortnite players across the United States are resonating this week – and for good reason. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has reopened its claims and has launched the second phase of refunds totaling over 126 million dollars for millions of players. Under an agreement with Epic Games, this includes purchases made between January 2017 and September 2022, as well as unauthorized charges made by minors between January 2017 and November 2018. This wave of refunds focuses on addressing controversial ‘dark patterns’ – design tricks that allegedly force players, especially children, into making unintentional one-tap purchases. Many parents have reported unintended charges for in-game currency that their children sometimes made during innocent gameplay or previews, without clear confirmation signals.
By the end of June, the FTC had sent approximately 969,000 checks and PayPal payments, which represents an increase from the 72 million dollars already paid in December, bringing the total of refunds paid to nearly 200 million dollars. The deadline for new applications is July 9, 2025—eligible consumers still have time to apply.
Why is ‘the return of Fortnite’ trending right now? It is a rare event of mass user elimination in the world of video games and is touching families, players, and those concerned about transparency in retail transactions. The amount refunded, the timing during the summer holidays, and the FTC’s firm stance against misleading methods in gaming have generated national interest. For players, it is also a moment of validation: parents and players are seeing how legal consequences turn into cash. For the general public, it serves as a reminder of how fraud, while still opaque, can be digitally designed, and how regulatory action can confront it. More coverage, social media debates, and hopes for refunds reaching wallets are expected in the coming weeks as the July deadline approaches.
