Fortnite, the popular multiplayer shooter game, is back on iPhones across the European Union and on Google’s Android devices worldwide after a four-year absence, Epic Games announced on Friday. This comeback follows legal measures by the European Union, providing a significant win for the U.S.-based game developer, Epic Games, which is partially owned by China’s Tencent.
Fortnite, known for its “battle royale” format where players compete to be the last one standing, quickly became a global phenomenon after its launch in 2017. However, in August 2020, the game was removed from Apple’s App Store and Google’s Play Store after Epic introduced a direct payment feature that bypassed the platforms’ 30 percent commission fees, leading to a series of lawsuits.
At the time of the ban, Fortnite had 116 million users on Apple’s platform alone. The legal battle highlighted concerns over the dominant positions of Apple and Google in the app distribution market and their control over in-app purchases, Reuters news report said. Fortnite reached 650 million registered users in 2023.
The European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), designed to promote fair competition in digital markets, has now paved the way for Fortnite’s return in the EU. The law has allowed Epic to relaunch its game store in the region, although Apple continues to block access to Fortnite and other games outside of Europe.
“We are grateful to the European Commission for not only passing the DMA but also ensuring that Apple and Google cannot obstruct competition,” said Tim Sweeney, CEO of Epic Games. “They tried several times to slow us down, but the European Commission consistently stepped in to support fair competition.”
Epic’s game store, available in the EU, includes Fortnite, Rocket League Sideswipe, and the new mobile version of Fall Guys. Epic is also working with other developers to expand the store’s offerings.
Despite the return, the installation process for Fortnite on iOS devices remains cumbersome, involving a 15-step procedure that includes navigating complex device settings and warnings. Apple stated that while enabling these new capabilities for developers, it aims to balance ease of use with protecting user privacy and security.
Epic Games, which has a PC store with 75 million monthly active users, expects to add 100 million new mobile users by the end of the year. However, the financial impact of the four-year absence from the iOS platform, will be a loss of over a billion dollars in revenue.
