• by Colin Kirkland , January 29, 2024

After being ousted from the Apple App Store four years ago, Epic Games’ store and popular metaverse world-building game Fortnite is returning to iOS. The changes, however, will only apply in Europe, as Apple makes an effort to comply with the upcoming Digital Markets Act (DMA).

Epic Games has been at odds with Apple since the summer of 2020, when Epic sued Apple over app store policies that required game developers to use Apple's payment platform for in-app purchases, charging a 30% fee.

The lawsuit resulted in Apple being forced to accommodate developers by allowing them the choice to post links to other places where they can pay for Epic Games’ app-store products.

However, Apple was not deemed a monopoly, leaving Epic Games unhappy with the decision.

Now, because of  the DMA -- a set of rules that are intended to limit the power of the world's most influential tech companies, acting as “gatekeepers” -- Apple will begin allowing apps to be “sideloaded,” or installed from alternative sources beyond the Apple App Store.

This change will allow developers more freedom in distributing their iOS apps via varying channels, including entirely new marketplaces.

“(shoutout DMA – an important new law in the EU making this possible),” Fortnite posted on X. “@Apple, the world is watching.”

As part of the policy changes, Epic has announced that it will be bringing Fortnite -- its highly popular battle royale game that also hosts thousands of games within its ecosystem -- back to iOS in 2024.

The company plans to launch Epic Games Store, a digital storefront for PC games, on iOS as well.

Despite the news, however, Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney expressed his concern and disapproval with Apple's half-committed compliance, calling it “hot garbage” full of “junk fees.”

“We strongly reject Apple's twisting this process to undermine competition and continue imposing Apple taxes on transactions they're not involved in,” Sweeney posted on X, adding that “Apple proposes that it can choose which stores are allowed to compete with their App Store. They could block Epic from launching the Epic Games Store and distributing Fortnite through it, for example, or block Microsoft, Valve, Good Old Games, or new entrants.”