The Dutch consumer organization Stichting Massaschade & Consument (SMC) is seeking €100 million from Epic Games, alleging that the Fortnite item store induces minors to spend real money. SMC has issued a notice of liability to Epic and proposed a settlement; if negotiations fail, the organization will take the matter to court.
SMC believes that Epic intentionally designed the store to exert purchase pressure on young players, demanding refunds and compensation for related transactions. The organization also accuses Epic of collecting children's personal data without parental consent.
SMC cited a study in its filing involving 1,000 Dutch teenagers aged 16 to 19. The study found that 60% of respondents who had purchased in-game currencies like V-Bucks felt it didn't seem like spending real money, and half reported regretting purchases made under time pressure.
Epic has previously faced regulatory action over children's privacy and in-game purchases. In 2022, Epic agreed to pay $520 million to settle two complaints from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission; the complaints involved violations of children's privacy laws and interface designs that led to unintended player purchases.
In 2024, the Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets fined Epic $1.2 million for unfair commercial practices targeting children. In January 2026, a court in Rotterdam upheld this fine. Lucia Melcherts, chair of SMC, stated that the organization is not seeking to ban Fortnite, but rather wants Epic to refund players.
Epic responded that Fortnite provides parental control tools to manage children's purchasing behavior and playtime. Epic stated that the store has no countdown timers; parents can require a PIN code for real-money purchases, and players under 18 in the Netherlands cannot view or purchase items available in the store for less than 48 hours.
Epic also stated that players under 16 in the Netherlands use restricted accounts when creating profiles, preventing real-money purchases without parental or guardian consent. The game also features a two-step confirmation before purchase, instant purchase cancellation, self-service returns for store items, and an option to choose whether to save payment information.