Fortnite’s mobile app is making a return to iPhones in Europe and Android devices globally, four years after it was removed from Apple and Google’s app stores due to a high-profile antitrust dispute.
The game’s reappearance on these major mobile platforms, along with the launch of Epic Games’ own mobile app store, highlights the growing impact of EU regulations on major tech companies.
Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney attributed the return to the EU’s Digital Markets Act, which mandates that digital “gatekeepers” must allow competitors access to their platforms. Sweeney noted that “the tide is turning” as both Apple and Google face increasing scrutiny from regulators and courts worldwide.
Fortnite, along with other Epic Games titles like Fall Guys and Rocket League Sideswipe, will be available on iOS in Europe and on Android worldwide through the new Epic Games Store, as well as through other alternative app stores such as Aptoide and AltStore, which have emerged in the EU due to the DMA.
“We want to help every store reach users who offer developers great terms,” Sweeney said. “We’ll be bringing all of our games to them and fostering a spirit of support for all developers, recognizing that a rising tide lifts all boats.”
Apple commented: “The DMA required us to enable new capabilities for developers in the EU, and we have worked to make these as user-friendly as possible while also protecting privacy and security.”
Google has not yet responded to a request for comment.
Despite being introduced seven years ago, Fortnite remains hugely popular. According to data from Ampere Analysis, 35 million people played Fortnite for over 600 million hours in July on Xbox and PlayStation, making it “the biggest game on those consoles by far” in terms of player activity, according to analyst Piers Harding-Rolls.
Epic’s games were removed from the App Store and Play Store in August 2020 after the developer sued Apple and Google in the US, accusing them of monopolistic practices. The removal occurred when Epic deliberately circumvented the platforms’ mandatory in-app billing systems in protest of their fees on digital purchases. Fortnite and other Epic titles remain banned from Apple’s App Store and Google’s Play Store globally.
The EU’s Digital Markets Act requires digital “gatekeepers” to alter their business practices, including making mobile operating systems accessible to rival app stores and supporting alternative distribution and payment methods. Companies had to comply by March.
The EU is currently investigating whether Apple and Google’s plans for app store compliance align with the new regulations. Non-compliance could lead to fines of up to 10% of their global revenue.
Critics, including Spotify, have condemned Apple’s new EU fee structure, which targets in-app purchases made outside the App Store. They argue that this scheme will discourage developers from using alternative distribution channels.
Epic Games has also expressed frustration, claiming that the current rules enforced by Apple and Google in the EU create a “lengthy” process for installing its Epic Games Store on iOS and Android. Epic contends that the companies have intentionally designed poor-quality installation experiences, characterized by multiple steps, confusing device settings, and misleading warnings.
According to Apple’s website, installing an alternative app store on iOS in Europe requires five steps. In March, Apple briefly suspended Epic’s App Store developer account but reversed this decision after the EU intervened. “The European Commission has had to step in multiple times to prevent Apple from obstructing our competition with them,” said Tim Sweeney, Epic’s CEO. “Apple has been incredibly obstructive.”
In the US, Epic remains in a legal battle with Apple over compliance with a California judge’s injunction that prohibits developers from directing users to external payment options. Although Epic lost the main portion of its case against Apple, it succeeded on a specific point of California law. In December, Epic achieved a significant victory over Google, convincing a federal jury in California that Google had stifled competition in the Android app market. Google has announced its intention to appeal and is awaiting the judge’s decision on potential sanctions. The judge has stated that an order will be issued in the coming weeks.