CARY, N.C. – It’s all fun and games, until it’s not.
That’s something a former contract worker for Epic Games had to learn the hard way.
This week, Thomas Hannah — the man accused of disclosing secrets on Reddit about upcoming additions to the popular online game, Fortnite — has finally reached a settlement with the Cary video game giant.
The exact terms of the settlement between Epic and Hannah are confidential. But according to the filing, it calls for Hannah to “immediately destroy all copies of any of Epic’s Trade Secrets,” as reported by the Triangle Business Journal.
He’s also permanently prohibited from revealing any of the Cary video game company’s confidential information.
If the terms of the deal are violated, Hannah could face injunctive relief, attorneys fees, $5,000 in damages and “such other relief as the Court deems just and proper.”
Back in May, Epic filed suit in federal court against its former employee, alleging that he violated a non-disclosure agreement by disclosing upcoming information about an update to the game.
Epic Games sues former contract worker for disclosing Fortnite secrets
Hannah, a former quality assurance tester admitted to speaking with the alleged Redditor, identified in court papers as Adam DiMarco. However, he claimed the Reddit posts were the result of guesses based on information “he gathered on his own,” not secrets that he purposefully disclosed.
Epic is a privately held company and has been aggressive in suing people, alleging they have cheated in playing Fortnite.
Although the game is free, Epic makes considerable revenue by selling in-game accessories to players. According to a recent report on TechCrunch, the company made $3 billion in profits this year on the heels of the world’s most popular game.
Fortnite has risen in popularity during the year. Celebrities, like Drake, have supported the game. According to USA Today, Drake broke a record for “Fortnite” with 628,000 people watching him and popular gamer Ninja.
The game has been downloaded 40 million times.
