Epic Games is getting closer to bringing Fortnite back to iOS devices in Europe. After announcing that its application for approval for the Epic Games Store had been rejected by Apple, the situation quickly reversed: now, according to Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney, the application has been accepted. This is a major step for European gamers who are eagerly awaiting the chance to download Fortnite on their iPhones and iPads again. While it will still be a few months before the Epic Games Store is actually available on iOS devices in Europe, one major hurdle has been overcome.
The case is part of a larger dispute between Epic Games and Apple. The dispute between the two giants began in August 2020, when Epic introduced a direct payment system within Fortnite, bypassing Apple’s App Store payment system, which charges a 30 percent fee on all transactions. Apple responded by removing Fortnite from the App Store, claiming that Epic had violated App Store guidelines. Epic responded with a lawsuit, accusing Apple of monopolizing and anti-competitive practices. The case has raised important questions about how app ecosystems and digital platform business models are managed.
The Epic Games Store app for iOS has now been unrejected by Apple and development is back on track. Now about those 9 to 16 day TestFlight app approval delays… https://t.co/89uYZh5iQF
— Tim Sweeney (@TimSweeneyEpic) July 5, 2024
