Sorry UK gamers, Fortnite won't be on iOS anytime soon (or ever)

When Fortnite returned to the iPhone ecosystem in the U.S. earlier this year, many UK players believed they would follow suit. Epic Games had publicly stated that Fortnite and the Epic Games Store would arrive on iOS in the United Kingdom in 2025, thanks to a new competition law.

However, in its most recent post on X, Epic has delivered a sobering update: neither Fortnite nor the Epic Games Store will be available to UK iPhones in 2025, and possibly ever. According to Epic, the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has not prioritised opening up iOS to alternative app stores, which is a key requirement for Fortnite's return.

While the UK passed the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers (DMCC) Act in May 2024 to address platform dominance, Epic says the CMA’s slow rollout and lack of enforcement mean the rules have had little real impact so far.

As a result, Fortnite remains unavailable on iOS in the UK, even though it is already playable on iPhones across the European Union. In the EU, new regulations under the Digital Markets Act forced Apple to allow third-party app stores, allowing players to install the Epic Games Store and download Fortnite directly. No such access exists in the UK yet, despite similar laws on the books.

Other developers are trapped in a similar limbo in the UK. Cloud gaming services like Xbox Cloud Gaming remain limited to web browser access on UK iOS devices because Apple’s App Store policies block native cloud gaming apps, and the UK's CMA isn't forcing Apple to open up to alternative app stores.

That said, Epic’s latest announcement has left many Fortnite players in the UK disappointed, especially with Chapter 6 Season 3 wrapping up and Season 4 scheduled to launch in August. While fans overseas enjoy the return of iOS access, iPhone users in the UK remain shut out entirely.

For now, iPhone players in the UK may have to sit on the sidelines. Whether it is Fortnite, cloud gaming platforms, or future challengers to Apple’s App Store, access depends on regulatory action that still feels elusive.

Fortnite is coming back to iOS in the US

From EU to U.S., Fortnite’s return marks a turning point for app store control.

TechloyOluwaseun Bamisile