Fortnite In Game Purchases Might Violate Laws Against Deceptive Marketing

If you or your child made Fortnite in game purchases that didn’t deliver the enhancements you expected, you’re not alone. Several consumers allege they spent real money for virtual items that didn’t provide any advantage in the game.

Within many video games, packages of virtual enhancements are available for purchase through “microtransactions.” The digital products go by names such as “Packs,” “Loot Boxes,” “Prize Crates” and others, depending upon the game and the game’s manufacturer.

A study by lendedu.com released in June 2018 reveals more than 68 percent of Fortnite players say they have made Fortnite in game purchases, spending an average of about $85 over the course of the last year. Lendedu surveyed 1,000 Fortnite gamers after a report in April by Sensor Tower found that Fortnite was generating about $1 million per day from Fortnight in game purchases.

Nearly 20 percent of the purchasers didn’t realize the items they were buying did not provide them with any real advantage in the game. In most cases, fine print indicates the virtual “items are cosmetic only and grant no competitive advantage.”

Almost 60 percent of the money spent by the survey responders was for clothing or characters.

Fortnite In Game Purchases Make Big Money for Epic Games

Fortnite was released in July 2017 and is made by Epic Games, which reported revenue of more than $300 million in May 2018 from Fortnite alone.  The game is free to download, but once players become engaged, many wish to enhance their experience.

When a new Fortnite player starts to become successful at the game, commitment to the game escalates. Especially because gamers can see what others are doing and what they have, the temptation to visit the online store that’s just a click away is often too much to resist.

After facing litigation over employment and privacy issues, the video game industry now may face claims that these in game purchases violate consumer protection laws. Government regulators are starting to question whether Fortnite in game purchases are legal, because some liken the purchases to gambling. Gamers complain that when they’re not happy with their purchases and attempt to receive a refund, their inquiries often go unanswered.

Some gamers purchase clothing or weaponry that they believe will offer them some element of protection or power and are disappointed to discover their money went to buy items that were simply cosmetic.

In addition to Fortnite, other video games under investigation include DOTA 2, Counterstrike, Legendary Game of Heroes, FIFA 18, and FIFA 19.

Fortnite in game purchases don’t make a lot of sense to people who are not avid gamers. One particular editorial written by tech writer Trevor Ruben on Dec. 3, 2018 said that “when a videogame asks you to buy fake money with real money before allowing you to buy the actual thing you want… the consumer is unceremoniously stripped of the only power he or she has in a marketplace: to place total value on the game itself.”

Unsatisfied customers who allege their purchases have failed to provide the value promised may qualify to participate in an in game purchases class action lawsuit investigation.

Join a Free Video Game In-Game Purchases Class Action Lawsuit Investigation

Did you or your child make in-game purchases while playing one or more of the following video games?

• Fortnite
• DOTA 2
• Counterstrike
• Legendary Game of Heroes
• FIFA 18
• FIFA 19

If you or your child made in-game purchases in the course of playing any of the video games listed above, you may qualify to join this video game class action lawsuit investigation. Filing or joining a class action lawsuit could help you in getting compensation for the money spent on items that allegedly failed to provide the value promised by these gaming companies.

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