Dutch Consumer Group Sues Epic Games for €100 Million Over Fortnite Spending Pressure on Minors

A Dutch consumer group is suing Fortnite maker Epic Games for €100 million, accusing the company of misleading young gamers into spending real money in the in-game store.

Stichting Massaschade & Consument (SMC) seeks refunds and damages from Epic for intentionally designing the Fortnite store to pressure young gamers to buy items using real-life money. The suit also alleges Epic collected personal data from children without parental consent. SMC served Epic a notice of liability with an offer to settle and will take the company to court if negotiations fail.

SMC cites research studying 1,000 Dutch teenagers aged 16 to 19. The findings showed that six in ten buyers of V-Bucks said it didn't feel like real money, and half said they had regretted a purchase made under time pressure.

This follows previous regulatory action against Epic. In 2022, the company agreed to pay $520 million to settle two complaints from the United States Federal Trade Commission alleging children's privacy law violations and "dark patterns" that tricked "millions of players into making unintentional purchases." In 2024, the Dutch Authority for Consumers & Markets fined Epic $1.2 million for "unfair commercial practices aimed at children," and in January 2026, a Rotterdam court upheld that fine.

SMC chair Lucia Melcherts stated: "We aren't asking for Fortnite to be banned. But a Dutch regulator found that Epic broke the rules, and a court has confirmed it. The logical next step is for Epic to pay players back. Epic deliberately designed the game to pressure players into buying. Young consumers are supposed to be protected from exactly that. The bill belongs with the company that made the game, not with the players or their parents."

Epic defended itself, saying Fortnite "has protections and tools so parents can control how their child makes purchases and set limits for how long they can play." The company noted that the Fortnite Item Shop does not have a timer, parents can require a PIN for real money purchases, and players under 18 in the Netherlands cannot see or purchase items available for less than 48 hours. Epic also highlighted that players under 16 in the Netherlands with Cabined Accounts cannot make real-money purchases until a parent provides consent, and the platform offers two-step purchase confirmation, instant cancellations, and self-service returns.