Fortnite Returns to iPhone: Limited to EU Markets, Tim Sweeney Displeased
After a long legal battle between Epic Games and Apple, it seems that Fortnite is making a comeback to the iPhone. However, there’s a catch – the popular battle royale game will only be available in EU markets, much to the disappointment of players in other regions. This decision has not gone down well with Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney, who has expressed his displeasure over the limited availability of the game on the iPhone.
The feud between Epic Games and Apple began in 2020 when Epic Games introduced a direct payment option in the Fortnite app, bypassing Apple’s App Store payment system and the 30% commission that Apple charges developers for in-app purchases. As a result, Apple removed Fortnite from the App Store, leading to a legal battle between the two tech giants. The dispute also saw Epic Games filing antitrust lawsuits against Apple, accusing the company of monopolistic practices.
After months of legal wrangling, a recent ruling by a US court mandated that Apple must allow developers to include links to external payment options in their apps, potentially opening the door for Fortnite to return to the App Store. However, the ruling only applies to the US market, leaving players in other regions, including the UK and the rest of the world, without access to the game on their iPhones.
In response to the limited availability of Fortnite on the iPhone, Tim Sweeney took to Twitter to express his frustration, stating that “Europe has no significant antitrust progress,” and calling for regulatory changes to allow fair competition in the app market. It’s clear that Sweeney is not happy with the outcome of the legal battle and the resulting restrictions on the availability of Fortnite on the iPhone.
For Fortnite fans in the EU, the news of the game’s return to the iPhone will undoubtedly be welcome. However, for players in other regions, the wait for the game’s comeback on their iOS devices continues. The ongoing battle between Epic Games and Apple has highlighted the power dynamics at play in the app market and has sparked a larger conversation about antitrust regulations and the control that tech giants wield over the app ecosystem.
As the legal battle between Epic Games and Apple continues to unfold, it remains to be seen how the situation will evolve and whether Fortnite will eventually make a full comeback on the iPhone in all regions. In the meantime, players outside the EU will have to find alternative ways to access their favorite game on their iOS devices.