Organization claims 'hundreds of millions' from Fortnite maker for pressuring children into purchases
The organization Stichting Massaschade & Consument is launching a mass claim against Epic Games, seeking hundreds of millions of euros for Dutch users who were pressured into making in-game purchases as minors. This action follows a previous regulatory ruling that found the developer used deceptive sales tactics within Fortnite.
The organization Stichting Massaschade & Consument (SMC) has initiated a mass claim against Epic Games, the developer of the popular video game Fortnite. The legal action follows a ruling by the Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) and the Rotterdam court, which previously fined the company 1.1 million euros for utilizing aggressive and misleading sales tactics. These practices included countdown timers and urgent messaging that pressured minors into making in-game purchases. The claim organization estimates that at least one million Dutch citizens are eligible to participate, specifically those who were under the age of 21 while playing the game.
SMC is seeking a settlement from Epic Games that would refund the money spent by minors and provide additional compensation, with total claims potentially reaching several hundred million euros. While Epic Games contends that it has since removed the problematic timers and implemented parental controls and restricted accounts for younger users, the foundation intends to take the matter to court if a settlement is not reached quickly.
Based on reporting by ad. Translated and condensed by LocalHeadlines.
