The charges, brought by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), allege that Epic collected personal information on users under the age of 13 without parental consent in violation of the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and also used so-called “dark patterns” to lure kids into making in-game purchases.įor reportedly violating COPPA, the FTC levied a $275 million fine, the highest in FTC history, while hitting Epic with an additional $245 million fine for the use of manipulative “dark patterns” on its gaming platforms, for a total of $520 million. Epic Games, the studio behind the teen and tween gaming staples Fortnite and Fall Guys, has agreed to a record-breaking payout to settle two allegations that the studio implemented illegal and unethical practices in its hit games.
