Epic Games has said that players under 18 won’t be able to use v13.40 of Fortnite on iOS and Google Play after January 30. Even though Fortnite was taken off the iOS, macOS, and Google Play stores in August 2020, users who already had it installed can still play it. However, it’s been stuck on the v13.40 update and has been a bit glitchy. The game’s in-app currency, V-Bucks, will no longer be usable after January 30.
The company tweeted, “We want all versions of our games to use the current set of Epic Online Services, which includes parental controls, purchasing defaults, and verification.” “Because Apple and Google have put limits on Fortnite, we can’t update the app on these platforms.”
Beginning January 30, Fortnite players using the August 2020 13.40 app build previously available on iOS, Mac, and Google Play can no longer spend V-Bucks and must be over 18 to play. (1/2)
— Fortnite Status (@FortniteStatus) January 23, 2023
In December, Epic Games made it so kids can’t use voice chat or spend money in Fortnite’s in-game store without their parents’ permission. In the same month, Epic Games agreed to pay $520 million in fines after the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) said that Fortnite broke the Children’s Online Privacy Act and tricked people into buying things they didn’t want to.
Even though Epic Games fixed these problems with new updates, iOS and Google Play devices can’t get updates for Fortnite. Because of this, Epic Games had no choice but to block access for anyone under 18. The company is taking away the ability to spend V-Bucks because the FTC said that Fortnite made players buy things they didn’t mean to.
Most players probably won’t be affected by the new restrictions when they go into effect in a few days, since there are ways to play the popular game without going through the App Store or Google Play store. For example, if you want to play the game on iOS or macOS, you can do so through GeForce Now. You can also get the game straight from Epic Games’ website for Android.
