It has been two and a half years since Apple and Epic's lawsuit over Fortnite began. Players still using Apple devices to play an outdated version of Fortnite will be dealt another blow next week as Epic announced they will no longer be able to spend V-Bucks, nor will you be allowed to play on iOS or Mac if you're under 18 starting January 30.Epic revealed the bad news via its Fortnite Status account (thanks, Engadget). “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iOS, Mac, and Google Play can no longer spend V-Bucks and must be over 18 to play,” the tweet reads.The change to the outdated version of Fortnite comes as Epic is trying to make Fortnite a safer place for younger players. That includes updates to the game restricting activity on accounts used by players under a certain age. The changes come after Epic was ordered to pay more than half a billion dollars due to violating COPPA and implementing misleading payment practices.
Since the iOS and Mac versions of Fortnite cannot be updated, those changes can't be applied. That's why only adults will be able to play through those devices starting on Monday, and those adults won't be able to spend anything. It's somewhat surprising anyone is actually still playing Fortnite that way on those devices. Since that version of the game has been left untouched since August 2020, its last update was v13.40. For reference, last week's Fortnite update was v23.20.
If you do want to play the current version of Fortnite on your iPhone, there is technically a way to do it. The world's biggest BR game is available through GeForce Now which in turn can be used through the browser on your iOS device. Make the switch now if you want to enjoy the Dead Space and The Kid Laroi crossovers neither of which will be coming to the outdated version of Fortnite on those devices.