After four years of absence Fortnite is returning to iPhones – but only for users in the European Union. This comeback is part of the broader rollout of the Epic Games Store for iPhone, which went live in the EU today.
The return of Fortnite for iOS is the result of the EU’s Digital Markets Act, which forced Apple to allow third-party app marketplaces on its platform. Users in the EU can now download the Epic Games Store by visiting Epic’s website on their iPhones.
FortniteThe availability of is undoubtedly the main feature of the launch of the Epic Games Store. The popular battle royale game was removed from the App Store in 2020 following a dispute between Epic and Apple over in-app purchasing systems. Previously Fortnite on iOS has generated more than $700 million in two years.
Otherwise, the current game catalog in the iOS Epic Games Store is limited and includes only a handful of Epic’s own titles, including Fortnite And Rocket League digHowever, the company says it plans to expand the library over time and is in talks with third-party mobile developers.
Going forward, Epic will have to deal with Apple’s new fee structure, which includes a “Core Technology Fee” of €0.50 per install per year after the first million installs. This fee applies to both the Epic Games Store itself and the games it contains, making the fee for popular titles like FortniteThe EU Commission is currently examining whether Apple’s new fee structure is compatible with the Digital Markets Act.
The Epic Games Store is only available on iPhones running iOS 17.4 or later, while iPad users will have to wait until the release of iPadOS 18 to access the store on their devices. Epic plans to expand the availability of its store to other regions where regulations allow, with a launch planned for 2025 in Japan. The company has set a goal of reaching 100 million mobile downloads of its store by the end of the year, consisting of combined game installs on iOS and Android.
Link to article: Epic Games Store launches on iPhone in the EU and brings Fortnite back to iOS
