Fortnite has been hit by a lawsuit claiming that it uses “deceptive sales tactics” as a way too “boost” its revenues.
Fortnite’s Item Shop has always been quite a hot topic over the years – not just within the community but also in legal battles. In 2022, Epic agreed to refund players ‘manipulated’ into purchasing in-game goods.
Then, in 2024, the company was forced to change the shop after being fined for ‘exploiting children’, following a press release from ACM outlining “unfair commercial practices.”
Now, Epic is facing a new lawsuit revolving around the Item Shop yet again, with claims that it essentially creates a fake urgency, leading to FOMO in children.
Epic Games addresses lawsuit over “deceptive sales tactics” used in the Item Shop
First spotted by Polygon, the lawsuit, filed on March 5, 2025, in a Francisco Court, claimed that Epic has “boosted” its revenues through “deceptive sales tactics directed at minors.”
Parents have sued Epic Games over the Fortnite Item Shop.
The subject of “Epic’s Deceptive Countdown Timers” was brought up in it, with one example pointing to the Horizon Zero Dawn bundle, advertised with a “prominent pink graphic designating a purported discount.”
The image of the bundle attached to the file showed a “stopwatch icon and a timer”, displaying the cosmetics’ availability and when they will leave the shop.
As stated in the file, “And this is precisely how tens of millions of minor-age Fortnite players understood this item listing and myriad other listings just like it.”
“But, when their countdown timers expired, Fortnite’s Item Shop products did not disappear or return to full price. They remained available for purchase, often at the same purportedly discounted rate, for many days or weeks.”
The file also mentioned the Plaintiffs, two minor players who “Epic deceived with its misleading countdown timers.” Following these claims, an Epic spokesperson responded via a statement to Polygon.
“This complaint contains factual errors and does not reflect how Fortnite operates. Last year, we removed the countdown timer in the Item Shop, and we offer protections against unwanted purchases. This includes a hold-to-purchase mechanic, instant purchase cancellations, self-service returns for shop purchases and an explicit yes/no choice to save payment information.”
Epic also mentioned that players under 13 are “unable to make real money purchases” without a parent’s consent and that they offer “industry-leading parental controls, including PIN-protecting purchases” even if they do, before saying they will “fight these claims.”
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