Fortnite Mobile is back!
The battle royale game that seems to never die has returned to mobile devices after a four-year-long hiatus. The unexpected twist? It’s all because of a new European Union law giving gamers another shot at diving back into action.
If you’re an Android user, then you’re in luck. Fortnite, alongside two other fresh titles from Epic Games is now available for download through the company’s all-new app store.
But this is only those in the EU using iPhones can join in on the fun. Reason being, Epic Games has become one of the very first companies to take advantage of the relaxed rules imposed on Apple by the Digital Markets Act of the EU.
Tim Sweeney from Epic Games especially took the floor to express his thoughts on the matter of the relaunch.
He stated that all three games would drop onto Alt Store PAL, the biggest independent app store in the EU, living it up under Apple’s new regulation regime.
“We’re really thankful to the European Commission that the DMA law passed, which would not only provide store competition but will also make Apple and Google responsible, making sure they can’t just block competition,” Sweeney said.
The comeback of Fortnite into mobile isn’t only a victory for gamers; it is the result of a long, angry battle between Epic Games and the giants of mobile platforms.
It all started way back in 2020 when Epic updated Fortnite so users could purchase in-game items directly and circumvent Apple’s and Google’s mandated 30% fee. Fortnite got taken down by both companies from their respective app stores, which opened a full-bore legal can of worms.
But don’t think it’s the end of the saga. Sweeney made it crystal clear: this battle is very far from over. He highlighted, for one, that Apple and Google keep on making it difficult for users to access Epic’s alternate app store.
And that is not all: this struggle does not remain confined to the EU.
Epic Games is working to reinstate Fortnite Mobile access to UK users as well, after the recent passage of the Digital Markets Competition and Consumers Act 2024.
Sweeney in his statement, hinted that unless Apple and Google can harden the hearts of the UK government to maintain the status quo, Fortnite could very well be back in British hands as early as next year.
Meanwhile, Apple is not backstepping. What’s to irk some more feathers in its cap is that the tech giant has ordered Patreon—the extremely popular platform that enables fans to pay for creative work—to start using its in-app purchasing system.
The change will mean Patreon users are soon going to be hit with Apple’s notorious 30% fee on all new memberships bought through the iOS app.
Patreon has already warned its creators of this additional cost, who must in turn decide between passing that extra cost on to the supporter or absorbing the loss on top of the 15% they already pay to Patreon.
It’s a stark reminder that, though the DMA may loosen Apple’s grip in some areas, the company is still finding ways to do so through other means.
So, Fortnite fans, whether you’re picking up your phone to get back into the battle or simply keeping tabs on the latest turns in the ongoing dust-up between Epic Games and mobile giants, one thing’s a fact: The game is far from over.
