A game Premier League footballers became addicted to has been forced to pay out a whopping $295 million in refunds.
Battle royale game Fortnite quickly developed into one of the most popular in the world after its release in 2017, with around 239 million players now said to play per month.
The shooter game sees 100 players tussle it out be the last one standing and is available on multiple consoles.
It's free but comes with several add-ons like skins which cost. Epic Games came up with the genius concept but the company have been ordered to pay out huge sums after it was accused of violating the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act and using manipulative online practices by duping games into making unwanted purchases.
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They agreed a $520 million settlement - with a record-breaking $275 million fine from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) meaning $245 million is left over in the pot.
To be eligible gamers in the US must have made the unwanted purchase between January 2017 and September 2022 and over 18.
There is a four-week wait on claims, which must be submitted - on a refund page on the FTC's website - before January 17, 2024.
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There is no word on exactly how much each person could be entitled but it could well apply to several footballers.
In April 2019, The Mirror reported that a number of players received treatment due to their Fortnite obsession spiralling out of control.
An therapist who specialises in addiction has claimed that two footballers who were teammates got treatment after seeing their performance levels on the pitch drop due to their gaming habits.
The game was cited as a cause for many players turning up late for training and being fined as a result.
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It was reported at the time that England internationals Harry Kane, Dele Alli and Kieran Trippier had racked up 11,559 games on Fortnite.
A 20-year old youngster from a club based in the North west and playing in the Championship regularly did 10 hour sessions on the game and even missed a match before getting the help he needed from Steve Pope, an addiction therapist.
He explained: "Fortnite has been rife in football for over a year - I'm working with a North West team where two left-backs are fighting over the same position on the pitch, and fighting on Fortnite off it," Steve said.
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"They've been playing until 5am some nights, hitting their performance in matches and training. While drink, drugs and gambling are monitored in football, gaming is under the radar."
Arsenal youngster Reuell Walters made $11,000 (£8,844) from Fortnite after building a map he named 'RJW’s BoxPVP'.
LADbible Group has contacted Epic Games for comment.
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Topics: Premier League
Josh Lawless