Epic Games to Settle Fortnite Loot Box Lawsuits in V-Bucks

Epic Games will give Fortnite players 1,000 V-Bucks if they have previously purchased an in-game loot box, presented in-game as “loot llamas” containing random items, as part of a proposed class action settlement that will be approved later this week.

While FortniteThe massively popular battle royale mode never contained any random loot boxes, the game’s co-op survival mode, “Save the World,” did – at least until 2019, when Epic changed its system to loot box to allow players to see the item inside before purchasing. .

Now, anyone who purchased a Random Box of Loot before they stop will see the 1,000 V-Bucks (roughly $ 8) automatically deposited into their account over the next two to three days. The move is part of a larger move by Epic to settle the indiscriminate raffle lawsuits it has faced in recent years.

In this case, the developer received confirmation from a preliminary approval judge for its class action settlement in North Carolina Superior Court on Monday, which is why Epic says it will start handing out the rewards today. hui. This decision is unusual because class action settlements generally require claimants to file claims in order to receive benefits. But Epic says he’s giving benefits early on because he feels his current stance on loot boxes is right and his players owe something for buying random boxes in the past.

“On the one hand, it’s the right thing to do and we’re convinced by random item loot boxes. And second, we’re happy with the settlement, ”said Jeffrey Jacobson, partner at Faegre Drinker law firm representing Epic. The edge in an interview. “We hope our players agree with us.” A final approval hearing is scheduled for May, and attorneys representing both Epic and the plaintiffs expect the settlement to be approved as is.

Epic says that although the regulations only affect US players, it decides to award the 1,000 V-Bucks to all players in Fortnite globally, provided they’ve purchased at least one of his Random Loot Llamas. The proposed regulation also includes Rocket league players who have purchased in-game items like event crates or keys to open in-game loot boxes, and affected players will receive 1000 credits to automatically distribute this week in the same manner. Epic acquired Rocket league Psyonix developer in 2019.

Epic says that when it comes to the scope of the US settlement, the V-Bucks advantage will go to 6.5 million players who purchased a Random Item Loot Llama in Fortnite and 2.9 million Rocket league players who bought an event crate or a key that was used to open a crate.

“We have stopped offering loot boxes of random items like Fortnite Loot the llamas and Rocket league Crates because we realized that some players were repeatedly disappointed that they did not receive the random items they were hoping for, ”said Tim Sweeney, CEO of Epic, in a statement to The edge Monday. “Players need to know in advance what they are paying when making in-game purchases.”

The proposed settlement also provides up to $ 26.4 million in additional cash and other benefits for Fortnite and Rocket league players “to resolve complaints arising from player loot box purchases,” that is, refunds on previous purchases that go beyond standard payment terms. This pool includes attorney fees on both sides, according to Epic. But the draft rulebook also includes a provision that would allow players who believe they have suffered legal harm in random loot box purchases to claim a refund.

This benefit pool is available to minors in California who have used their own money, and not a parent or guardian’s money, to purchase Epic Loot Boxes, which qualifies them for the benefits in under the State Contract De-Affirmation Act. It also includes all of the United States Fortnite or Rocket league player who believes they have been subjected to legal harms, such as fraud, by purchasing random loot boxes from Epic. In either case, a player can submit a claim to a neutral admin, with a potential refund of up to $ 50 in refunds.

For non-minors filing legal prejudice claims, Epic will award up to $ 50 or 13,500 V-Bucks (or 13,000 Rocket league credits) according to the service the applicant prefers, if the application is approved. US residents who believe they qualify for these additional benefits can file claims at www.epiclootboxsettlement.com, which Epic posted on Monday afternoon.

Epic stopped selling Random Loot Boxes in 2019, replacing what was once “V-Buck Llamas” with “X-Ray Llamas” in Fortnite “Save the world” Game mode. Back in the day, these blind draw Llamas used 50 V-Bucks (back then about 50 cents) and contained a random assortment of skins, weapons, or other loot. Later this year, Rocket league also removed loot boxes, months after Epic acquired its creator Psyonix. According to Jacobson, Epic’s attorney, the class action settlement is “an exclamation point on a position we first announced two years ago.”

Loot boxes have been criticized by lawmakers and regulators around the world who claim that selling random odds to rare or coveted in-game items is akin to gambling. Of particular concern to critics of the practice, is that many players who engage in loot box schemes are children, sometimes using their own money but often with access to a parent or guardian’s credit card.

Many of the greatest games of the past decade, including entries in Electronic Arts’ FIFA franchise and Blizzard Overwatch, sell blind-draw chests for real money, and the business practice has proven to be lucrative for game developers. In some cases, game companies make more money on in-game microtransactions, like loot boxes, than they do outright selling games.

In 2018, Belgium ruled that random loot boxes were illegal games and were subject to the country’s gaming law, forcing many prominent developers to abandon the practice in the country or change the way they were used. allow players to buy and spend in-game currency at risk. heavy fines.

Although the United States has online gambling laws, it does not consider safes as such, which means that many games continue to offer them in the United States. Bills have been introduced in Congress, such as Senator Josh Hawley’s (R-MO) Child Protection from Abusive Gambling Bill, but none have passed.