This is a translation of CTV News Montreal.
Quebec Superior Court Judge Sylvain Lussier approved the class action lawsuit, and Appellate Court Judge Guy Cournoyer wrote the decision dismissing the appeal and said he found no error in Lussier’s judgment.
The case can now continue.
Three Quebec parents have sued Epic Games, alleging that the developers of the Fortnite Battle Royale game intentionally designed it to be “very addictive” and that the game was responsible for causing their children (who are minors) mental health issues , causing physical and financial damage. They demand damages, which will be determined later. None of the allegations have been proven in court and a court date will be set soon.
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According to the Federal Security Commission of the United States of America (FTC), Fortnite’s creator was ordered to pay $520 million in late 2022 to resolve complaints about child privacy and payment methods that prompted players to make unintentional purchases.
The settlement breaks down into a $245 million recovery order for “dark patterns” and billing practices, and a $275 million fine for collecting personal information from players under the age of 18.13 without citing their parents inform.
Dark Patterns are deceptive methods used online to trick players into doing things they didn’t intend.
“Fortnite’s counter-intuitive, inconsistent, and confusing button layout has resulted in players incurring an undesirable cost when pressing a single button,” the FTC said. “These tactics have resulted in hundreds of millions of dollars in unauthorized consumer charges.”