Epic Games is planning to bring back Fortnite through its new European Union Epic Games Store on the iPad. The developer had previously announced the game would return to the iOS platform. Epic’s move to return the game to both platforms is due to the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA).
In January, Epic said it planned to launch Fortnite on the iPhone through its Epic Games app store in the EU. The EU announced earlier today that it would now identify Apple’s iPad operating system iPadOS as a significant digital gatekeeper in the EU. The EU’s new tech regulations require Apple to allow access to outside app stores and alternative browser engines on iPadOS. The EU says the new rule will spur fair competition, expanding options for EU consumers.
Apple will have six months to bring iPadOS into compliance with the DMA. While that presumably shouldn’t be too big a deal, considering the code shared between iOS and iPadOS, including common app frameworks, Apple will likely take as long as it can when it comes to making the required changes.
As reported by TechCrunch, Epic Games today shared a post on the social network former known as Twitter saying that the EU ruling means it will be “moving full steam ahead to bring Fortnite and the Epic Games Store to iPhones in the EU soon and iPads this year!”
Epic hasn’t specified a launch date for the return of Fortnite to iOS and iPadOS, saying only that it will happen“this year”.