Epic says Fortnite is returning to iOS…in the EU،
If you like playing Fortnite on your iPhone, we have good news and bad news. Thanks to Apple's announcement today that it will allow iPhone users in the EU to download apps from third-party app stores, Epic Games has made a Epic announcement on “X”. The Epic Games Newsroom account said in a tweet: “Fortnite will return to iOS in Europe in 2024, distributed by the upcoming @EpicGames Store for iOS.”
Since the European Union's Digital Markets Act (DMA) forced Apple to allow sideloading and third-party app stores for the iPhone in the EU, Apple cannot continue to block Fortnite since iOS in the 27 EU member countries. Fortnite and Epic were kicked from the App Store in August 2020 after Epic included a link to its own in-app payment platform in Fortnite and offered items such as in-app currency at a lower price because they evaded Apple's 30% tax on purchases. produced via its own platform.
Epic allowed iOS users to access its own in-app purchase option and purchase in-game currency at a discounted price compared to the App Store price.
This led, well, to an Epic lawsuit; Because the United States Supreme Court refused to grant Apple a writ of certiorari and will not hear the case, Apple must follow Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers' ruling and allow developers to redirect to third-party platforms payment integrated into applications. But to do this, the developer must also link their application to Apple's in-app payment platform. And even if a developer incentivizes one of its customers to use an alternative payment processing platform, Apple will still get a 27% cut of its U.S. revenue.
However, an iPhone user in one of the 27 EU member countries will eventually be able to visit the Epic Games Store and install Fortnite. Epic CEO Tim Sweeney isn't calling it a day after bringing Fortnite back to iPhone in Europe. Regarding the US App Store, the executive said today: “We will continue to argue to the courts and regulators that Apple is breaking the law.”
