Fortnite, one of the world's most popular video games, is set to return to iPhones across Europe and Android devices worldwide, four years after it was removed from Apple and Google's app stores. The return marks a pivotal moment in the ongoing antitrust battle between Epic Games and tech giants that are heavily affected by new European regulations.
Fortnite's reappearance on these platforms coincides with Epic Games launching its own mobile app store, seen as a direct challenge to the dominance of Apple and Google, according to the Financial Times. The move highlights the impact of the European Union's Digital Markets Act (DMA), which requires digital “gatekeepers” like Apple and Google to open up their platforms to competing app stores and payment systems.
Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney hailed the DMA as a turning point, saying “the tides are turning.” Both Apple and Google are facing increasing pressure from regulators and courts globally. The return of Fortnite to iPhone will send shock waves through the mobile gaming world, along with other popular Epic Games titles such as Fall Guys and Rocket League Sideswipe. These games are now available on the new Epic Games Store as well as alternative app stores such as Aptoide and AltStore, which have become increasingly popular in Europe since the introduction of the DMA.
In response to these regulatory changes, Apple noted that the DMA requires it to enable new features for EU developers, and highlighted its efforts to balance usability with privacy and security concerns. Google, however, has yet to comment on the situation.
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Despite being removed from major app stores in 2020, Fortnite has remained popular, especially on consoles. According to data from Ampere Analysis, 35 million players spent more than 600 million hours playing the game across Xbox and PlayStation in July, making Fortnite “the biggest game ever on those consoles,” said Piers Harding-Rawls, an analyst at the research group.
Fortnite and other Epic Games titles were removed from the App Store and Play Store in August 2020 due to Epic's legal battles with Apple and Google over monopoly practices. Epic had circumvented the in-app purchase system required by those platforms, which led to lawsuits and subsequent bans of the games.
According to the Financial Times, the EU's Digital Markets Act, which came into force earlier this year, was enacted to curb the market power of digital gatekeepers. It includes provisions to open up mobile operating systems to competing app stores and provide alternative distribution and payment methods. Companies have until March to comply with the new rules or risk fines of up to 10% of their global turnover.
As the EU continues to scrutinize Apple and Google's compliance with the DMA, critics including Spotify have raised concerns about Apple's new EU pricing structure, arguing that it could discourage developers from exploring alternative distribution channels. Epic Games has also criticized the process required to install the Epic Games Store on iOS and Android, calling it “intentionally poor quality” that discourages users with multiple steps and confusing settings.
Source: Financial Times
