Sure, here’s your re-written article:
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So, picture this: the FTC is at it again, dealing with Fortnite and tossing out another wave of refunds. Yeah, Epic Games agreed to shell out a whopping $245 million back in 2022. Why? Well, they got caught in this whirlwind of accusations over some sketchy tactics, coaxing unsuspecting players into spending money they didn’t really plan to. The first round of paying people back? That hit in December 2024 – just imagine over 629,000 folks getting these unexpected little gifts because they raised their hands for a refund. Crazy, right?
So, I’m thinking back to when the FTC made the big announcement on this whole refund circus. They tossed out this statement all serious-like, explaining the whys and the hows. At the heart of it, there was this weird, mind-bending button layout that made folks accidentally shell out cash. And who’d have guessed? The average payout during that first round of goodies was something like $114. I guess folks in this second wave should buckle up for something similar.
Anyway – or maybe hold on – let’s switch gears. The FTC, just recently, and I mean very recently, fired off another $126 million in refunds on June 25 and 26. Yeah, rounding up some math here, they’ve basically doled out $198 million so far. That leaves a $47 million cushion still waiting in the vault. Now, anyone who’s been dragging their feet can still hop on this refund train by July 9. Just gotta hustle over to ftc.gov/fortnite.
Oh, and here’s the kicker! If you’re banking on Paypal, snag that cash within 30 days. Checks? You’ve got a bit longer – 90 days to cash up. This all ties back to Epic Games stepping over the line with COPPA, like gathering kids’ data without their folks knowing. Plus, players got tricked into buying stuff because of that head-scratching button setup. Good grief.
There were a few extra strings attached to this settlement, making sure Fortnite gets a firm ‘yes’ from players before they charge anything. Also, Epic was told to stop locking folks out if there were squabbles over these accidental purchases. It’s kind of wild, thinking about how often Epic has been down this refund road for one reason or another. Will they finally get their act together? Well, guess we’ll see.
So, yeah, that’s about it. A stumble, a fumble, and a whole lot of cash being shuttled around. Fortnite, man… what a ride!
