Anika Begay
Epic Games, the maker of Fortnite, announced Friday that it has officially launched its rival iOS app store in the European Union. The Epic Games Store will also launch on Android worldwide.
The app store will launch with games like Fortnite, Rocket League Sideswipe, and Fall Guys. The company says it is working with developers to launch their games on the Epic Games Store in the future.
Epic Games will also bring its games to the independent mobile app store AltStore PAL, which yesterday announced that its app store will be available for free thanks to a grant from Epic Games.
In the future, Epic Games plans to bring its games to the Aptoide iOS store in the European Union and the ONE Store on Android, the company said.
Fortnite’s return to iOS comes more than four years after Apple first removed the game from its App Store. Its return follows years of legal battles between the two companies, as well as regulatory changes brought about by the EU’s Digital Markets Act, which is forcing Apple to open up to new rivals.
“The tide is turning and the mobile ecosystem is finally opening up to competition,” Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney said in a statement. “We are grateful to the European Commission for making it possible to launch the Epic Games Store and offer our games to iOS users in the European Union. Now European iOS users and all Android users can access our store and our games, just as they have always done on open platforms like PC and Mac. The fight is far from over, but this is tangible progress for developers and consumers who can start to benefit from competition and choice.”
The company has released videos to walk users through the steps to install the Epic Games Store on iOS and Android.
Epic Games says that for now, “the Epic Games Store installation process on iOS and Android is lengthy because Apple and Google are intentionally introducing poor installation experiences, characterized by multiple steps, confusing device settings, and scary screens.”
The launch of the Epic Games Store marks the first time Apple has faced a major competitor challenging its dominance of the App Store.
