iOS users in the UK will likely have to wait or forego playing Fortnite indefinitely, as the popular game remains absent from the platform.
In a disappointing turn of events for Fortnite enthusiasts in the United Kingdom, the popular battle royale game remains unavailable on iOS devices. This is despite the game being playable on iPhones across the European Union.
The UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has not prioritised opening up iOS to alternative app stores, a key requirement for Fortnite's return. The CMA's current strategy targets specific competitive issues like app review fairness and commission fees but does not yet mandate alternative app stores on iOS.
This limited focus and Apple's resistance explain why Fortnite and the Epic Games Store remain unavailable via direct iOS app alternatives in the UK. The UK's Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers (DMCC) Act, passed in May 2024, was intended to address platform dominance. However, the CMA's slow rollout and lack of enforcement mean the rules from the DMCC Act have had little real impact so far.
Epic Games, the creators of Fortnite, had publicly stated that Fortnite and the Epic Games Store would arrive on iOS in the United Kingdom in 2025. However, according to Epic, neither Fortnite nor the Epic Games Store will be available to UK iPhones in 2025, and possibly ever. This announcement has left many Fortnite players in the UK disappointed, as they are shut out from playing the game on iPhones.
In contrast, the EU's Digital Markets Act has forced Apple to allow third-party app stores, enabling players to install the Epic Games Store and download Fortnite directly on iPhones across the European Union. This development has allowed Fortnite to return to the iPhone ecosystem in the U.S. earlier this year.
Apple has pushed back strongly against opening iOS to alternative app stores, citing concerns about security and user privacy. Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney expressed disappointment with the current regulatory roadmap, as it does not enable Epic Games Store or Fortnite availability outside Apple's App Store on UK iPhones.
As regulatory action in the UK that could open up iOS to alternative app stores still feels elusive, Fortnite fans in the UK can only wait and hope for a change in the near future. The end of Fortnite's Chapter 6 Season 3 has left UK iPhone users unable to participate in the upcoming Season 4, scheduled to launch in August.
Despite the EU's Digital Markets Act forcing Apple to permit third-party app stores, the UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has yet to prioritize this action, leaving Fortnite unavailable on smartphones in the UK. As a result, UK Fortnite players are excluded from various gaming events on their gadgets, like the upcoming Season 4 on iPhone. The lack of social-media interaction with fellow gamers on these devices further diminishes the entertainment aspect for these fans.
