American game developer and publisher Epic Games is at the center of a dispute over new laws in the European market. Dutch consumer protection organization Stichting Massaschade & Consument (SMC) has submitted a formal statement of liability to the company and is seeking compensation and repayment of more than 100 million euros. The association represents the interests of Dutch consumers who have played Fortress Heroes before the age of 21. At the heart of the accusations are psychological buying practices and a so-called dark mode in the battle royale game’s in-game store, designed to subject young users to artificial time pressure and trick them into unintentionally spending real money. If a negotiated settlement fails, SMC will take the matter to court.
The foundation’s legal offensive is based largely on a survey of more than 1,000 Dutch young people aged 16 to 19. The survey showed that six out of 10 buyers of V-Bucks, the in-game currency, said they did not feel good about spending their money; half of the respondents later regretted products they purchased under time pressure.
In addition to additional financial requirements for in-game transactions, SMC also accused the company of collecting children’s data without the explicit consent of their legal guardians. The plaintiffs also pointed to a 2024 ruling by Dutch consumer protection agency ACM that fined Epic Games more than €1.1 million for unfair trading practices, a ruling that was confirmed by a Rotterdam court in early 2026.
Epic Games responded to the accusations by referring to existing protection mechanisms within the game. A company spokesperson emphasized that the Fortnite item store does not use manual countdown timers and that parents have parental control settings such as PIN requests for real-money purchases and game time limits. For users under 16, the Dutch system automatically switches to so-called “closed accounts”, where purchases without parental consent are blocked. Publishers also mentioned tools like two-factor confirmation, instant cancellation and self-service returns.
The new lawsuit follows a series of global regulatory reviews by Epic Games and other live streaming service providers regarding their monetization models for minors. While Epic could consider an out-of-court solution, SMC emphasized its willingness to legally block the practice of buying psychological pressure in the digital space. The dispute could have significant consequences for the design of Europe’s digital markets.
