Fortnite is finally back on iOS, four years after Apple pulled it from the App Store. The game is only back in the EU and only via Epic’s New Mobile Store.
The game is launched on the new iPhone version of the Epic Games Store and through AltStore PAL, another third-party app store. They’ve also launched the Epic Games Store on Android as well. The Android version is available worldwide.
This launch comes after years of litigation between Epic and Apple and some regulatory changes in the EU through the Digital Services Act. The new Digital Services Act forced Apple to allow alternate app stores on iOS.
Epic also said that they will be bringing their game to all the alternate app stores. They said in a blog post that “we look forward to bringing our games to other stores around the world.”
“We’re really excited and grateful for the European DMA law,” Epic Games founder and CEO Tim Sweeney said in a briefing with reporters. “Fortnite is finally returning to iOS in Europe.”
Ever since Epic has revealed their plans to launch an iOS store, Apple has repeatedly slowed the process down for the launch. A few months back, Apple shut down an Epic developer account and called the company “verifiably untrustworthy”. It is possible that they might be referring to Epic breaking Apple’s App Store rules with a Fortnite in-app payment system. This was the reason why they were kicked off from iOS.
After an inquiry from the European Union, Apple reinstated the Epic Games account. However, later they took issue with the Epic Games Store’s buttons.
Currently, the Epic Games Store only has three first-party games, the company is already in discussions with third-party mobile developers. Epic also aims to curate a selection of third-party games through their Games Store.
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