Fortnite Faces Lawsuit Over Alleged “Deceptive Sales Tactics” in Item Shop
Epic Games is once again under legal scrutiny over Fortnite’s Item Shop, with a new lawsuit alleging that the company uses “deceptive sales tactics” to inflate its revenue.
The controversy surrounding Fortnite’s in-game shop is nothing new. In 2022, Epic agreed to refund players who were allegedly “manipulated” into purchasing in-game items. Then, in 2024, the company was fined for “exploiting children” and forced to change its shop practices following an investigation by the Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM).
Now, in 2025, Epic is facing fresh allegations that its Item Shop creates a false sense of urgency, particularly targeting minors with “fear of missing out” (FOMO) tactics.
Also Read: Minecraft Live 2025 Announced: Date, Time, and What to Expect
The Lawsuit: Countdown Timers and Fake Urgency
First reported by Polygon, the lawsuit was filed on March 5, 2025, in a San Francisco court. It claims that Epic Games has “boosted” its revenue by misleading young players with deceptive countdown timers.
One example cited in the case is the Horizon Zero Dawn bundle, which was advertised with a prominent discount and a stopwatch icon counting down its availability. According to the lawsuit, this gave players the impression that the items would disappear or return to full price once the timer expired. However, in reality, the products often remained in the shop at the same discounted rate for days or even weeks.
The lawsuit specifically mentions two minor plaintiffs who claim they were misled by these practices.
Read: Next Fortnite Season Is All About Star Wars – But Don’t Get Too Hyped Just Yet
Epic Games Responds
Epic Games has denied the allegations, calling the lawsuit inaccurate. In a statement to Polygon, an Epic spokesperson responded:
“This complaint contains factual errors and does not reflect how Fortnite operates. Last year, we removed the countdown timer in the Item Shop and introduced protections against unwanted purchases, including 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 pointed out that players under 13 cannot make real-money purchases without parental consent and that the company offers “industry-leading parental controls,” including PIN-protected transactions.
The company made it clear that it intends to “fight these claims.”
As Fortnite remains one of the biggest games in the world, this lawsuit could have significant implications for how in-game purchases and sales tactics are regulated in the gaming industry. With Epic already making adjustments to its Item Shop in response to previous legal challenges, it remains to be seen whether this latest lawsuit will lead to further changes—or if Epic will successfully defend its practices in court.
Also Read: PlayStation Unveils New Beta Program for PS5 and PC Game Testing
