Buyer’s remorse. We’ve all fallen foul of it at one point or another and swiftly decided to pursue a refund, but what is one meant to do when no such option is available?
For digital-only spends, in particular, getting cash back for an unintended or poorly-considered purchase can often prove futile, especially when it comes to video games. Platform holders like Microsoft and Sony each have their own respective – often convoluted – policies addressing such requests, though the onus for refunds for third-party titles like Fortnite falls squarely on Epic’s shoulders.
As it turns out, the battle royale developer could soon be providing impulse buyers with a new avenue for reversing transactions (accidental or otherwise) via a new in-game refund option. As per Twitter user HYPEX’s most recent data mining efforts, specific mention of such has been discovered, though the potential feature isn’t without its limitations, it seems.
As the whistleblower stipulates, players will be free to refund any in-game purchase should they wish, though only if the item in question has yet to be used. What’s more, a strict 5-minute time limit will also be enforced, though it’s not entirely clear what purpose the latter serves. Presumably, Epic foresees a potential scenario where customers will ‘game’ the system by treating it as a pseudo rental store, though given that merely equipping said item is grounds enough to prevent a refund, it’s a strange restriction, to say the least.
Ultimately, the service appears intended to exist purely as a failsafe for shoppers carelessly hitting the checkout button, rather than a bonafide refund service, but it’s a welcome addition, nonetheless. At the very least, it could save parents from being forced to issue chargebacks to account for their children’s spending habits.
Whatever its supposed intentions, not until Epic confirms the feature with its own words is any of this official, though given the general accuracy of such leaks, don’t be surprised to see the rumor become reality with this week’s Fortnite patch. Stay tuned.
