Epic Games has announced the worldwide return of Fortnite to the App Store. After a long absence due to one of the tech industry’s most heated legal battles, the famous battle royale title is once again accessible to Apple users in almost all international markets (including Italy). This marks yet another turning point for Epic, arriving two months after the title’s return to the also on Google Play Store.
Fortnite Officially Returns to iPhone and iPad via App Store
The decision to bring the title back to iOS devices at this time is not random but reflects Epic Games’ full confidence in a favorable outcome of the ongoing antitrust case against the Cupertino giant.
The company led by Tim Sweeney argues that, once Apple is compelled by federal courts to disclose its operating costs, governments around the world will no longer allow Apple’s unjustified commissions to remain in force.
The CEO of Epic refers to the so-called Apple Tax, i.e., the 30% commission that for years weighed on digital transactions within the iOS ecosystem.
This is a crucial turning point in Epic Games’ long-running battle (ongoing since 2020) against what it calls the App Store monopoly, aiming to dismantle Cupertino’s closed system.
However, for the gaming giant this is not just an ideological move, but a real financial necessity: the return on iOS is indeed strategic to reverse the recent drop in user engagement and respond to the economic crisis that forced the studio to cut over 1,000 jobs in the past year.
Despite the overall market contraction, Fortnite remains a timeless global phenomenon and, thanks to millions of daily players ready to invest in virtual currency and skins, restoring the title on Apple smartphones becomes a crucial strategy to ensure the company’s future financial stability.
Although the legal battle is set to continue, the ability for users to download the game again directly from the App Store greatly simplifies access to one of the most popular titles of all time.
