On Wednesday, Epic Games announced that the app will launch on January 30 Fortnite on iOS, macOS and Google Play will be inaccessible to underage players.
• Also read: Protection of minors: Epic Games, the publisher of Fortnite, will pay $520M
• Also read: Restricted accounts to protect children in Fortnite, Fall Guys and Rocket League
Though Fortnite was removed from the iOS, macOS and Google Play stores in August 2020, the game can still be played by users who previously installed it. However, the app has not received any updates since version 13.40. “We are unable to update the app on these platforms due to Apple and Google’s restrictions on Fortnite“, we can read in the Twitter post.
In addition to being unavailable to players under the age of 18, it will no longer be possible to spend V-Bucks, the in-game currency, on applications starting January 30. “We want all versions of our games to use the current suite ofEpic online servicesincluding parental controls, standard purchases and parental verification features,” Epic Games said.
Epic was unable to update the original iOS, macOS and Google Play versions of the game, which had been stuck on Fortnite version 13.40 for over two years. So all the changes Epic made to Fortnite in the last two years has never resulted in these versions.
Measures are already in place to protect underage players
We remember that in December Epic Games introduced limited accounts. These prevent children from spending money in the in-game store Fortnite and use of voice chat without parental consent, i.a.
Just days before the introduction of restricted accounts, the company had been accused of not adequately protecting underage players. Fines were then issued in connection with the FTC’s allegations that Fortnite allegedly violated the Children’s Online Privacy Act and also encouraged people to make unintended purchases. As a result, Epic Games agreed to pay $520 million as part of a settlement with the US Consumer Protection Agency (FTC).
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