Fortnite coming to iOS in Japan in late 2025 after new government legislation
A long time coming, and longer still now
- Fortnite is coming back to iOS, this time in Japan!
- A new law passed by the Japanese government aims to open up the app stores in the country
- Epic Games promises their new mobile storefront and Fortnite will head back to iOS in Japan by late 2025
Yes, it's that time of the week again. The time we write about Fortnite making its return to iOS! But hold the phone, this isn't about the UK or the US, but about Japan. Yes, you read that right, Japan's government and Diet (parliament) have passed a new law opening up mobile app stores.
Naturally, Fortnite (and likely Sweeney behind the scenes) was quick to point this out as an obvious victory on their part. However, we do note that their promise is for the prompt arrival of Fortnite and the Epic Games Store to iOS (cough) in late 2025 (cough).
What does this tell us? Well, it might indicate the international rollout of the Epic Games store may slide into 2025 anyway. Legislation doesn't take place overnight of course, and given the time to put it in place (and assuming any legal challenges don't take too long) late 2025 is a sadly quite realistic timeframe, especially given this is the same date it's projected to arrive in the UK too.
Japan's new law is effectively the same as other legislation like the DMA and other proposed changes in the US. Basically, Japan has legislated that neither Google nor Apple can prevent competing services, like alternative app stores, from being sold on their storefronts.
It's yet another move to open up the app ecosystem, something Apple has railed against on the grounds of security. For the average user and mobile gamer, this could prompt a wave of new stores offering exciting incentives for adoption, or a whole new era of confusion.
Either way, however, it looks like a real sea-change in favour of companies that have duked it out with Apple for years, like Epic Games.
Still, there's no reason to go running to alternative app stores just yet. Especially with new games coming out weekly. Speaking of, why not take a look at the latest entry in our regular feature of the top five new mobile games to try this week?
