"Fortnite": How to install it on the iPhone in the EU
You can now play "Fortnite" from Epic Games on iPhones again. But it's not that simple. Here's how you can install Fortnite.
"Fortnite" was not available for Apple smartphones for a long time.
(Image: Shutterstock.com/SolidMaks)
Apple's forced opening of its platform by the EU means that a title that has been a bone of contention for years is now back on the iPhone: "Fortnite" by Epic Games. The 2017 battle royale classic was kicked out of the App Store back in 2020 and gave rise to several lawsuits in various countries: Apple claimed Epic was breaking its app store rules, while Epic saw Apple as a monopolist in breach of competition law. The solution: Epic's own app store – or distribution via offers outside the App Store. But how exactly do you get "Fortnite" on the iPhone in the EU?
First the alternative app store...
First of all, you need an alternative app store, also known as an "Alternative App Marketplace" (AAM). Of course, "Fortnite" is not available in the App Store, as Epic Games would have to pay the 30 percent commission demanded by Apple, which the games company refuses to do. There are now a number of options for AAMs. For example, you can use the AltStore PAL, for which you no longer have to pay an annual fee thanks to Epic. The AAM Aptoide, which was previously only available on Android, is also included. And finally, you can also access Epic Games itself, as the Epic Games Store is now also available for iOS.
What all AAMs have in common is that they are installed using the Safari browser. They are therefore not found in the App Store, but via the web. If you click on the installation link there, the setup is triggered on the iPhone – including several warning dialogs. You should read these carefully, but don't let them drive you crazy. Apple at least checks the content for (visible) malware, but not for the actual content.
...then the actual game
Once the AAM is on the iPhone, it is operated like a regular app. You start it from the home screen and then install apps in it, as you are used to from Apple's App Store. The apps from the AAM then land on the home screen and can be launched. Epic Games does not currently offer sideloading of "Fortnite" (which is also possible); otherwise, it would only be possible with great effort using an unencrypted IPA file, as described by 9to5Mac.
The range of apps in the AAMs is currently still small. In August, for example, the Epic Games Store only had "Fall Guys" and "Rocket League Sideswipe" in addition to "Fortnite". However, the range should improve step by step. Just like Apple –, Epic Games charges – a commission for the sale of games in its app store, but the business model is somewhat different to that of Apple itself.
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