Epic Games settles with 14-year-old over selling Fortnite cheats

Epic Games has reached a settlement with a minor who was accused of creating and selling cheats for the video game Fortnite , as reported earlier Tuesday by the BBC. The terms of the settlement, reached Sept. 27, are unknown.

Fortnite, one of the all-time most popular free-to-play games on consoles, launched in 2018 and became a cultural phenomenon, raking in $3 billion for developer Epic Games across all platforms that year. Earlier this year, a 16-year-old won $3 million playing in the Fornite World Cup, with 2 million viewers watching.

In its complaint against the minor known as CBV, Epic alleged he infringed copyright "by using, marketing, selling, and trafficking in cheat software" for Fortnite. "Defendant's cheat software injects unauthorized computer code into Epic's copyright protected Fortnite code to allow its users to cheat at Fortnite," the original complaint alleged. The case was filed in the US District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina Western Division. 

"Defendant's cheating and inducing and enabling of others to cheat ruin the game playing experience," Epic alleged. 

CBV used a YouTube channel to post videos of him using the hacks to cheat at Fortnite, Epic said in the complaint. "He posted these videos to demonstrate, advertise, and market the hacks he sells," the games studio alleged. CBV said in a YouTube video that he's 14 years old.

Epic said in an emailed statement that it pursues "all available options to make sure our games are fun, fair, and competitive for players."

"When cheaters use aimbots or other cheat technologies to gain an unfair advantage, they ruin games for people who are playing fairly," the spokesperson added.

CBV reached the settlement agreement with his mother, who couldn't be reached for comment.