Olivia ThompsonAustralian families are spending more than ever inside video games, and a fresh set of numbers from Epic Games has put the issue back in the spotlight in July 2026. The company behind Fortnite confirmed the Epic Games Store pulled in US$1.16 billion in revenue in 2025, up 6 per cent on the previous year and 22 per cent higher than 2023, according to Epic's own annual figures. Yet in a twist that affects millions of local players, Fortnite has returned to Apple's App Store worldwide this month — with Australia the single market left out.
For parents, the headline is not the corporate revenue. It is the quiet, tap-by-tap way children rack up charges on a shared card. A wealth manager or family financial adviser can help households turn that risk into a simple, teachable budget — before the next statement arrives.
What the new figures actually mean for households
Epic's store now counts hundreds of millions of registered accounts globally, and Fortnite, Rocket League and Fall Guys remain among the most-played titles in Australian homes. The money moving through these games is real: virtual currencies such as V-Bucks convert directly to dollars, and a single "battle pass" or cosmetic bundle can cost the equivalent of a takeaway dinner. It is the same pattern Australian families have faced with other titles that shifted to token economies, as we covered in our look at Township's new in-app currency.
The concern regulators keep returning to is disclosure. In its review of children's game apps, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) found that fewer than one in four "free" children's games clearly disclosed that in-app purchases were possible, and fewer than one in five explained how to switch those purchases off. You can read the regulator's findings and its call for industry principles in the ACCC media release on children's game apps.
The mechanics matter too. On both Apple and Android devices, once a password or fingerprint is entered, further purchases can often be made for the next 15 to 30 minutes without re-authenticating. That window is where "bill shock" is born — a child can make one $100 purchase, or one hundred $1 purchases, in a single sitting.
Why the Australia block changes the maths
Fortnite's absence from the Australian App Store is not just a gamer's inconvenience. It pushes players toward alternative download routes and payment flows, and unfamiliar checkout screens are exactly where accidental spending happens. When the usual guardrails move, families should assume their old settings no longer apply and check them again.
Epic has built in some protections. Players who indicate they are under 13 face a daily spending limit of $100 across Fortnite, Rocket League, Fall Guys and the Epic Games Store, and any purchase above that cap requires a Parental Controls PIN to override. Australian players under 16 are also placed into "Cabined Accounts" with higher-privacy defaults, according to Epic's safety documentation. These are useful, but they are defaults — not a family budget.
The expert angle: treat gaming spend like any other line item
This is where a financial adviser or wealth manager earns their keep. The professional approach is not to ban games. It is to fold digital spending into the household budget the same way you would streaming subscriptions or school costs, and to use the moment as a financial-literacy lesson for children.
An adviser will typically suggest a few concrete steps:
- Set a monthly gaming allowance. Give each child a fixed figure — say $20 a month — and let them decide how to spend it. When it is gone, it is gone. This mirrors how a real budget works and removes the "just one more" pressure.
- Separate the payment method. Rather than linking a primary debit or credit card, load a low-value prepaid card or gift card. It caps the maximum loss and makes spending visible.
- Turn on the PIN — and keep it secret. Epic's spending PIN and Apple or Google purchase authentication only work if the child does not know the code. Advisers routinely find the PIN saved in the family group chat.
- Review the statement together. Once a month, sit down and read the charges line by line with your child. Naming each purchase turns an invisible tap into a real decision.
For older teenagers, the same conversation extends naturally into first bank accounts, saving goals and how subscriptions quietly compound over a year. A $12-a-month game pass is $144 a year — a figure that surprises most families when it is written down.
What to do this week
Start with a five-minute audit. Open your app store and Epic account, check which payment method is attached, confirm the under-13 spending limit and Parental Controls PIN are active, and switch off the "remember password" window if your device allows it. Then agree a simple monthly allowance with each child.
Australian households navigating the Fortnite App Store gap should be especially careful about where downloads and payments come from over the coming weeks. If a game or store asks for card details through an unfamiliar screen, stop and verify it first.
Families who want a structured plan — one that connects gaming spend to a broader household budget, an emergency fund and their children's long-term financial habits — can speak with a wealth-management or financial-planning expert through Expert Zoom. A short consultation can turn a source of monthly friction into a genuine teaching tool.
This article is general information only and does not constitute personal financial advice. Consider your own circumstances and seek advice from a licensed professional before making financial decisions.
