"Developers should dig into the topic": Fortnite boss Tim Sweeney warns game studios as Epic Games gets sued

Following the FTC (Federal Trade Commission) slamming Fortnite with a massive fine of upwards of half a million dollars, Tim Sweeney had some words of wisdom to share on social media. Since Epic Games is currently the torch bearer in many ways for the battle royale genre, the entire situation serves as a reminder of what not to do. He said:

"Developers should dig into the topic, as this settlement reflects state-of-the-art American regulatory practices. We are now applying principles similar to the UK Age-Appropriate Design Code to voice chat defaults. In-app purchasing is also a hot topic, with rigorous expectations of "Affirmative Express Consent" for purchases made both in real money and paid virtual currency."

Given that this is the largest payout by a video-game company to the FTC, it is in many ways, rather iconic. That said, a lot of details regarding refunds pertaining to V-Bucks and other cosmetic items are yet to be disclosed to the public.

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What are the major changes that Epic Games has made in Fortnite since the early days?

Since one of the primary issues was related to the Item Shop and purchase of cosmetics in-game, a lot of attention has been paid to fixing it. Although there's a lot of work left to be done, the developers have provided an update on the changes made thus far over the years:

• No pay-to-win or pay-to-progress mechanics in player experiences in-game
• No paid item loot boxes since 2019 and no gambling ever in-game
• Return Ticket system that enables self-service refunds on eligible digital goods without the need to specify a reason in-game
• Instant cancellations of cosmetic purchases made with V-bucks, with a recently extended cancelation window of a short duration
• A hold-to-purchase mechanic for all in-game purchases
• An updated chargeback policy
• An explicit yes and no option to save payment information

In addition to these changes, it's very likely that more rigid guidelines will be implemented for the Item Shop and in-game purchases. Players can expect to see changes over the course of time. Aside from alterations to the way purchases and transactions take place, more safety measures have been implemented for players:

• Parental Controls that are easily accessible from the main Fortnite Lobby menu and the Epic Account portal
• Parental Controls, which includes the option to require a PIN to send/accept friend requests and also enable parents to authorize purchases before they are made in-game
• Daily spending limit for Fortnite players under the age of 13
• Granular privacy options for chat
• Cabined Account that provides a tailored experience that is safe and inclusive for younger players while they wait for parental consent
• Settings the default to the highest privacy option for players under the age of 18, including voice and text chat defaulting to “Nobody.”

As part of the filing that pertains to better safety features for young players, these guidelines serve as a good recommendation for other video games as well. With gamers becoming younger by the year, the need for safety during online sessions is now more essential than ever before.

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Is Fortnite safe for children?

Epic Games has been rolling out numerous limitations and safety features for children over the past year alone. As long as these safety mechanics abide by the FTC guidelines, on paper, Fortnite is safe for children.

As mentioned in the blog, the developers will do everything in their power to ensure a good gaming experience for young players. However, anomalies will occur every now and then.

For instance, if a known squadmate is being toxic, the blame cannot be shifted to Epic Games. Parental guidelines will apply here and the toxic teammate in question will have to be removed from the player's list.

There will be many more such instances in-game, including being griefed during gameplay or being targeted by teammates. In such situations, young players will have to figure out the best course of action with the help of their parents. Nevertheless, Epic Games has come a long way and has many more "Fortnites" to go.