Fortnite Will Return to iOS in Europe as Apple Plans to Allow Third-Party App Stores on iPhone

Apple revealed that support for sideloading apps and third-party app stores will be added in Europe by March 7 to comply with DMA regulations.

Written by Akash Dutta, Edited by Ketan Pratap | Updated: 26 January 2024 13:11 IST

Fortnite Will Return to iOS in Europe as Apple Plans to Allow Third-Party App Stores on iPhone

Photo Credit: Reuters

Apple will have to make changes to how its App Store works before the DMA deadline

Highlights

Fortnite was removed from the App Store in 2020 due to payment disputes
Epic Games said Fortnite will be launched on iOS in Europe later this yea
Epic CEO Tim Sweeney criticised Apple for “malicious compliance” with DMA

Fortnite will be making a return to iOS in Europe, Epic Games announced on January 25. The development occurred as Apple is now forced to open iOS to sideloaded apps and third-party app stores to comply with the Digital Markets Act (DMA) and is chasing a deadline of March 7. Reportedly, Apple is already working on making changes to its App Store and will likely make a separate version available in Europe. Epic Games could be one of the many app stores that become available in the region, and iPhone users may finally get to play Fortnite after waiting for four years.

In a post, the official handle of Epic Games Store revealed that Fortnite will make a comeback to iOS in Europe this year. It also added that the popular battle royale game will be added via the Epic Games Store for iOS. The post did not mention a launch date.

In a separate post, the company said, “Stay tuned for details as we figure out the regulatory timeline. We'll continue to argue to the courts and regulators that Apple is breaking the law.”

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Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney also spoke against how Apple implements the DMA regulations, calling it a “malicious compliance.” In a long post, he said the Cupertino-based tech giant is forcing third-party app stores to accept “junk fees on downloads and new Apple taxes on payments they don't process.”

Separately, he also said that a monopoly should not be allowed to decide what companies are allowed to compete with it after another user shared a list of agreements Apple sought from third-party app stores before allowing them on iOS.

Fortnite was removed from the App Store in 2020 after the iPhone maker banned Epic for encouraging users to make third-party in-app payments. Subsequently, Epic Games filed an antitrust lawsuit against Apple. Just last week, the US Supreme Court denied the request to hear the dispute, resulting in a win for the tech giant.

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The concern for Epic Games comes from its previous issues with the company, and with Apple still holding oversight into third-party apps, the possibility of the Fortnite-maker getting banned again still exists.

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Fortnite

KEY SPECS
NEWS

Genre Shooter

Platform Android, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 (PS4), PlayStation 5 (PS5), Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X, iOS, PC: Windows

Modes Single-player, Multiplayer

Series Fortnite

PEGI Rating 12+

More Epic Games Games

Apple iPhone 15

REVIEW
KEY SPECS
NEWS

Design
Display
Software
Performance
Battery Life
Camera
Value for Money

Good
Big upgrades over the 14
Excellent ergonomics, build quality
Very good all-round performance
Apple ecosystem benefits

Bad
Relatively slow charging
Expensive
Still a 60Hz display

Read detailed Apple iPhone 15 review

Display 6.10-inch

Processor Apple A16 Bionic

Front Camera 12-megapixel

Rear Camera 48-megapixel + 12-megapixel

RAM 6GB

Storage 128GB, 256GB, 512GB

OS iOS 17

Resolution 1179x2556 pixels

More Apple mobiles Apple mobiles price in India

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Further reading: Fortnite, Epic Games, Digital Markets Act, Apple, iPhone, iOS

Akash Dutta Email Akash Dutta

Akash Dutta is a Senior Sub Editor at Gadgets 360. He is particularly interested in the social impact of technological developments and loves reading about emerging fields such as AI, metaverse, and fediverse. In his free time, he can be seen supporting his favourite football club - Chelsea, watching movies and anime, and sharing passionate opinions on food. More