Fortnite, Fall Guys, and Rocket League Sideswipe have dropped back onto iOS and Android handsets via The Epic Games Store. As promised earlier this year, Epic will use its marketplace to relaunch key titles on mobile platforms following a protracted legal battle with Apple and Google.
The Epic Game Store is currently available for download on iPhone within the European Union, where the recently introduced Digital Markets Act prohibits Apple from blocking third-party platforms. It will also be accessible on Android devices worldwide and independent mobile stores including AltStore PAL.
In a blog post announcing the launch, Epic praised the Digital Markets Act for allowing it to relaunch across EU territories, but claimed Apple is still blocking access elsewhere. It also described the processes of installing the Epic Game Store as “lengthy,” but blamed that protracted undertaking on Apple and Google.
“For now, the process of installing the Epic Games Store on iOS and Android is lengthy due to Apple and Google introducing intentionally poor-quality install experiences laden by multiple steps, confusing device settings, and scare screens,” it added.
“We are continuing to fight in courts and work with regulators around the globe to eliminate the anticompetitive terms that Apple and Google impose on developers and consumers, so we can build a better store for everyone.”
“The tide is turning” for Epic Games on mobile
Despite those perceived hurdles, Epic Games founder Tim Sweeney feels the “tide is turning and the mobile ecosystem is finally opening up to competition.”
“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 games, as they’ve always been able to do on open platforms like PC and Mac,” he added.
“The fight is far from over, but this is tangible progress for developers and consumers who can begin to benefit from competition and choice.”
During a recent interview with Game File, Sweeney noted Epic’s legal battle with Apple-which resulted in Fortnite being pulled from iOS-has potentially cost the company around $1 billion in revenue. He said that fee is a “small price to pay for the future freedom of our company.”