Epic Games faces potential 100 million euro lawsuit over Fortnite tactics

Epic Games is facing a potential lawsuit in the Netherlands brought by the Stichting Massaschade & Consument foundation. The organization is seeking more than 100 million euros in damages and refunds, alleging that the developer used misleading psychological tactics to drive spending within the game Fortnite.

The allegations center on the use of deceptive design elements, such as fake countdown timers in the item shop, to create a false sense of urgency. These tactics reportedly pressured minors and young adults into making impulsive purchases of virtual currency, known as V-Bucks. The foundation is seeking full refunds for users who made purchases before reaching the age of 21.

This legal action follows previous regulatory scrutiny. The Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) previously imposed fines on Epic Games after determining that the game utilized aggressive design elements and misleading timers to target the impulsivity of younger players.