After four years of absence, Fortnite returns to iPhones – but only for users in the European Union. This return is part of the broader launch of the Epic Games Store for iPhone, which was released today in the EU.
The return of Fortnite to iOS comes as a result of the EU’s Digital Markets Act, which forced Apple to allow third-party app purchases on its platform. Users in the EU can now download the Epic Games Store by visiting Epic’s website on their iPhones.
The availability of Fortnite 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 after a dispute between Epic and Apple over in-app purchase systems. Prior to this, Fortnite on iOS generated more than $700 million in two years, while Apple collected over $100 million in revenue from the 30% cut it received from Fortnite’s in-app purchases.
However, the current game catalog on the iOS Epic Games Store is limited, featuring only a few titles from Epic, such as Fortnite and Rocket League Sideswipe. Nevertheless, the company states that it plans to expand the library over time and is in discussions with third-party mobile developers.
From now on, Epic will need to navigate Apple’s new fee structure, including the “Basic Technology Fee” of €0.50 per installation per year after the first million installations. This charge applies to both the Epic Games Store itself and the games within it, effectively doubling the fee for popular titles like Fortnite.
The EU Commission is currently investigating whether Apple’s new fee structure complies with the Digital Markets Act. The Epic Games Store is only available on iPhones with iOS 17.4 or later, while iPad users will have to wait for the release of iPadOS 18 to access the store on their devices.
Epic states that it plans to expand the availability of its store to other regions where regulations permit, with Japan scheduled for a launch in 2025. The company aims to reach 100 million mobile downloads of its store by the end of the year, consisting of combined game installations on both iOS and Android.
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