Fortnite coming to iPhones in Europe
Since its forced and constrained withdrawal from the App Store in August 2020, the publisher has been unable to provide simple and official access to players on iPhone and iPad, which implies a significant financial loss for the publisher as the game is still popular. Since the Epic vs Apple affair, there have been several ways to play Fortnite on iPhones, through GeForce Now, or even via Xbox Cloud Gaming (which offers players this particular title without needing to take out a subscription ).
Obviously, these solutions are only stopgap and Epic would prefer to be able to offer its game without having to go through a third-party solution. With the opening of European iPhones and iPads to alternative stores, The firm finally has an official way to distribute its flagship game by offering the Epic Games Store.
Epic’s alternative App Store officially submitted to Apple
As the above post states, Epic began hostilities by officially submitting its alternative store to Applewhich would allow it to offer Fortnite on iPhones and iPads in Europe. It remains to be seen how long Cupertino will take to validate this request (it could take months), if Apple does not find a more or less valid way to refuse it. Epic still seems optimistic and therefore announces a launch of its store in the coming months, finally signing the return of Fortnite on iOS.
Of course, this new alternative store will have to submit to Apple’s tithe (the famous Core Technology Fee tax of 0.50 euros per installation of the application) but the profits generated by Fortnite should more than cover it and allow Epic to to relaunch its extraordinary cash machine.
Epic takes the opportunity to announce that this store could allow it to offer its games, and not just Fortnite, on all platforms that offer advantageous conditions to all developers.
It wouldn’t be surprising if Epic simply waited until its alternative store was available on iOS to complain about the terms and taxes, using the ongoing scrutiny of Apple’s behavior in Europe and elsewhere to try to get Cupertino to relent and reduce the fees it’s being charged. The battle royale is therefore certainly far from over.
