On Thursday, Epic Games announced that “Fortnite” will soon return to Apple’s iOS systems in the European Union. This comes amid a legal dispute with Apple. Epic has been working to distribute its games beyond official app stores, opposing high commissions on in-app payments and restrictions on downloading apps only through dedicated stores.
Additionally, Epic stated that its games will be withdrawn from the Samsung Galaxy Store in protest against Samsung’s decision to block default side-loading on Android devices, a move Epic considers “anticompetitive.” Side-loading allows the installation of apps without using the dedicated app store.
Epic also announced that its mobile games will be available on AltStore, a third-party platform that enables side-loading, for iOS users in the EU. The company plans to support at least two other third-party stores as well.
The Epic Games Store, Epic’s marketplace, will expand to Android worldwide and to iOS in the European Union, though the timeline for this rollout has not been specified.
Earlier in July, Apple approved Epic Games’ marketplace app for iPhones and iPads in Europe after Epic escalated its conflict with the company. Meanwhile, Apple faces antitrust scrutiny over its App Store practices, with EU competition regulators stating in June that it violates the Digital Markets Act.
