After a four-year absence and legal battles, Fortnite is returning to iPhones, but only for users within the European Union. The return is part of a wider rollout of the Epic Games Store for iPhone, which went live in the EU last week.
The game’s return to iOS is part of the EU Digital Markets Act ruling that forced Apple to allow third-party app marketplaces on its platforms. Users based in the EU can download the Epic Games Store by visiting Epic’s website on their iPhones.
The overarching legal issue began when Fortnite was removed from the App Store in 2020 following a legal dispute between Epic and Apple over the in-app purchasing system.
Fortnite’s availability is undoubtedly Epic’s main selling point. Before that, Fortnite earned more than $700 million on iOS in two years, while Apple earned more than $100 million from its 30 percent share of Fortnite’s in-app purchases.
Otherwise, the current catalog of games on the iOS Epic Games Store is limited and includes only a handful of Epic’s own titles like Fortnite and Rocket League Sideswipe. However, the company plans to expand the library over time and is in talks with outside mobile developers.
Going forward, Epic and Apple will need to sort out Apple’s new fee structure, which includes a “core technology fee” of €0.50 per installation per year after the first million installations. This fee applies to both the Epic Games Store itself and the games it contains, effectively doubling the fee for popular titles like Fortnite. The EU Commission is currently examining whether Apple’s new fee structure is compatible with the Digital Markets Act.
The Epic Games Store app requires an iPhone running iOS 17.4 or later. iPad users will have to wait until the release of iPadOS 18 later this year 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 in Japan planned for 2025.
If you get a chance to try out the Epic Games Store in the EU, please share your experience with us in the comments.
About MacRumors and Epic Games
