Gamers who have been affected by the controversial in-game purchases in Fortnite now have until February 29, 2024, to claim their portion of the $245 million settlement fund. The original deadline of January 17, 2024, has been extended to allow eligible players more time to apply for compensation.

In 2022, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) accused Epic Games of using deceptive design tactics to induce players into making unwanted in-game purchases, thereby violating the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). Additionally, the FTC alleged that Epic had locked the accounts of users who disputed these charges with their credit card companies. The final order from the FTC in March 2023 resulted in a $245 million reimbursement to consumers and a record $275 million COPPA penalty to the U.S. Treasury. Epic Games is also required to enhance its default privacy settings for minors.

Eligible individuals who qualify for a refund include Fortnite players who were charged for unwanted in-game items between January 2017 and September 2022, parents who experienced unauthorized credit card charges made by their children between January 2017 and November 2018, and users whose accounts were locked after disputing wrongful charges with their credit card companies during the specified period.

While there are approximately 400 million Fortnite players globally, only those in the U.S. are eligible to file claims. The FTC has already reached out to 37 million individuals via email to notify them of their potential eligibility for compensation, providing them with individual claim ID numbers.

To apply for a refund, eligible individuals must submit their claim online at the FTC v. Epic Games refund site. They will need either the claim number received via email from the FTC or their Epic account ID. If the email with the claim number has not been received, the Epic Games website can be visited to locate the account ID. It’s important to note that claimants must be at least 18 years old to complete the claim form, and if under 18, a parent or guardian must fill out the form on their behalf.

The deadline to file a claim is February 29, 2024, and the exact amount of compensation for each eligible claimant has not been determined. The payout will depend on the total number of claims filed, with the FTC having identified and notified 37 million potential claimants. Those who did not receive emails can still apply for compensation using their Epic account.