The maker of the popular video game Fortnite has agreed to pay $520 million to resolve claims from United State regulators that it violated child privacy laws and tricking users into making purchases.
According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the firm duped players with “deceptive interfaces” that could trigger purchases while the game loads.
Fortnite, made by Epic Games, was also accused of using “privacy-invasive” default settings.
The company however blamed the privacy-invasive settings on past designs.
“No developer creates a game to end up here,” the company said.
The company revealed that it accepted to pay to ensure that consumers understand that they are being protected and to guarantee the best experience.
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“We accepted this agreement because we want Epic to be at the forefront of consumer protection and provide the best experience for our player,” the company said.
The game has more than 400 million players around the world and is free to download and use but it generates revenue from in-game purchases.
Three parents had brought a class-action lawsuit against the game claiming their children have become addicted to it.
Epic Games however claimed to have “industry-leading parental controls that empower parents to supervise their child’s digital experience”.