Epic Games being sued over alleged deceptive practices in Fortnite Item Shop

Epic Games sued over deceptive practices in Fortnite (Image via Epic Games) — Epic Games sued by parents over alleged deceptive practices in Fortnite Item Shop (Image via Epic Games)

Epic Games is facing a new lawsuit over alleged deceptive practices in the Fortnite Item Shop. According to a report by Polygon, a group of parents has filed a proposed class-action lawsuit, accusing the company of misleading children through fake sales and countdown timers. They claim these timers create a "fear of missing out" (FOMO), which pushes young players into making rushed purchases.

Here's a look at the details of the lawsuit and Epic Games' response.

Also read: Fortnite Creative accounted for 36.5% of total user playtime in 2024, $352 million paid to creators

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Epic Games faces legal battle over Fortnite Item Shop

According to the report, the lawsuit, filed in a San Francisco court on Wednesday, argues that the Fortnite Item Shop's countdown timers often expire without removing an item or changing its price. This leads players to believe they have limited time to buy something when, in reality, the item remains available for days or weeks.

Per the lawsuit, this practice violates consumer protection laws in North Carolina, California, and Texas.

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An Epic Games spokesperson has responded, telling Polygon the lawsuit is factually incorrect and does not represent the way Fortnite works at all. The company claims to have removed countdown timers, introduced hold-to-purchase mechanics and instant purchase cancellations, and strengthened parental controls for underage players.

The spokesperson emphasized:

"When a player creates an Epic account and indicates they are under 13, they are unable to make real money purchases until a parent provides consent. Once they do, we offer industry-leading parental controls including PIN protecting purchases. We will fight these claims."

This is not Epic Games' first legal challenge over Fortnite's monetization. In 2024, the Dutch government fined the company $1.2 million for allegedly using misleading countdown timers, claiming they exploited children's vulnerabilities.

The company appealed the decision and made changes, including displaying expiration dates for item shop listings.

The current plaintiffs are awaiting a judge's decision on whether it can proceed as a class-action lawsuit.

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Edited by Rachel Syiemlieh