The changes announced by Apple to comply with the rules of the European Digital Markets Act technically allow Epic Games to offer an application Fortnite via its own Epic Store. But Apple’s new conditions could dissuade it.
This is what we call seizing an opportunity… or communicating. A few minutes after Apple announced historic changes to iPhone, mandatory to comply with European rules, Epic Games quickly reacted to announce good news: the great return of Fortnite, removed from the App Store since 2020 due to a commercial crusade around taxes levied by Apple. In recent years, the two multinationals have clashed legally.
Still teasing, Epic Games indicates in a tweet published on January 25 : “ Remember Fortnite on iOS? What if we brought him back. This year, Fortnite will return to iOS in Europe via the Epic Games Store (hello DMA – an important new law in Europe that makes this possible). Apple, the world is watching you. » No launch timing, other than 2024, has been specified by the company.
The big return of Fortnite on iOS and iPhone compromised by the 50 cent tax?
Attention, Fortnite is not going to return to the App Store. Now that third-party application stores are authorized on iOS, Epic Games will be able to launch its own Store in Europe and end the App Store monopoly. It is on this new platform that we will be able to find Fortnite, and probably other games. A huge change for the iOS ecosystem.
However, Epic Games should not declare victory too quickly. Apple still managed to set some rules on third-party stores, in order to favor its App Store, particularly with aberrant taxes. We are talking about a levy of 50 cents on each download when we cross the million installation mark, which should be the case for Fortnite and Epic Games Store. And since the game is free, that means Epic Games should owe Apple (a lot) of money. On paper, it appears more advantageous to accept 30% from the App Store for each micropayment, since Epic Games may not be able to repay its debt to Apple if it does not earn several million euros each month thanks to micropayments of Fortnite iOS. In another tweet posted on January 25the company also indicates: “ We will continue to tell the courts and regulators that Apple is breaking the law. »
As a reminder, Fortnite is not technically unavailable on iPhone. Thanks to Microsoft and its cloud gaming technology, you can play the very popular Battle Royale for free. But this is more of a plan B than a plan A: it requires a good internet connection to be able to access the game which is not installed on the iPhone.
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