Epic has launched its own iOS games store, and its first headline title is, yes, Fortnite. Finally, an alternative app store version that Apple can’t suppress.

Epic’s Fortnite is now back on iPhone, both on Epic’s own new App Store and Riley Testut’s old store PAL. Both are only available in Europe, as Apple is forced to open its platform in the EU due to the Digital Markets Act (DMA). But unlike previous releases, where Apple reduced the appeal of these non-US stores by changing its App Store rules to allow previously banned apps in its worldwide stores, Epic’s games remain EU-only, increasing the pressure on Apple.

“For US users, this shows how few options we have. I wish we had an ‘Alt Store’ here and more competition. Companies should advocate for similar laws and users should demand more choice. Innovation often starts in small markets, so this is a start, but we still have a long way to go to keep up with the open web,” Sam Tarantino, former CEO of music streaming service Grooveshark and current founder of Harmonic Reach Marketing, told Lifewire via email.

Cat and Mouse

Almost four years ago, Apple kicked Fortnite out of the App Store after Epic lured the company with in-app purchases that were not processed through the official Apple Store, meaning Apple didn’t get its cut. The resulting legal and publicity wrangling likely had a major impact on the EU’s DMA, which aims to increase competition in digital markets and, among other things, forced Apple to allow alternative app stores for iOS and, soon, iPadOS.

So far, Apple has tried to suppress the impact of these alternative app stores. When Riley Testut tried to launch his alt store PAL with his Nintendo console emulator Delta, Apple kept delaying approval and then announced that it would lift the ban on game console emulators in its own app store everywhere in the world except the EU.

The goal was obviously to prevent US users from having the crazy idea of ​​opening the iOS platform in their country as well.

“For gamers in the US, the situation could be frustrating. Giving EU users access to Fortnite and a new store could lead to calls for similar changes in the US. This could lead to an improved gaming experience and more choice for gamers in the US,” Kaveh Vedat, founder and CEO of generative AI game development company RiseAngle, told Lifewire via email.

Epic Failure

But with Epic and Fortnite, this trick will not work. For Apple, approving Fortnite would be a humiliating step back from a epos Fight. And even if Apple were to offer to reinstate Epic’s developer account and allow Fortnite in the US app stores and other app stores outside the EU, Epic is unlikely to comply. The current situation is just too tempting from the public’s perspective and offers Epic all sorts of leverage against Apple’s profit-driven store taxes.

“This poses a challenge for Apple. Under new regulations such as the EU’s Digital Markets Act, developers can bypass the App Store for distribution. If this resonates with users, Apple could see declines in App Store revenue and be forced to rethink its policies and fees to remain competitive. Epic’s involvement could also lead to increased regulatory scrutiny,” Markus Schaal, managing director and COO of PC mod software company PLITCH, told Lifewire via email.

When people outside the EU, especially in the US, see what alternative app stores have to offer, they may demand the same. Fortnite is already a huge brand, and you can bet Epic will lean heavily on this approach with its PR and advertising campaigns.

“The prospect of Epic’s Store on iOS is exciting. It represents a new avenue for innovation and potentially more player-friendly policies that could impact game development and distribution, including for indie developers,” Vedat said.

The DMA is already having a positive impact on Apple’s platforms from a user and developer perspective. It will be interesting to see whether Apple changes course and embraces these changes in a way that benefits everyone, or whether it continues to fight every little point with its now-familiar petulance and ends up having much less control over the consequences of the legislative changes on both sides of the Atlantic.