Fortnite to Return to iOS in Japan Under New Anti-Monopoly Law
Epic Games will bring Fortnite and its games store back to iOS in Japan in late 2025, following a major new antitrust law targeting Apple and Google.
Fortnite Returns to Japanese iPhones
Japanese iPhone users are getting Fortnite back. Epic Games officially announced plans to launch its flagship battle royale and its dedicated mobile game store on iOS in Japan, targeting a late 2025 release. This move does not stem from a sudden peace treaty between Epic and Apple. Instead, it is the direct result of a major new Japanese law aimed at breaking big tech monopolies.
In June, Japan’s parliament passed the Act on Promotion of Competition for Specified Smartphone Software. The legislation is designed to strip tech giants of their absolute control over mobile ecosystems. Under the new rules, dominant platform operators like Apple and Google must allow third-party app stores and alternative payment systems on their operating systems.
Severe Penalties for Tech Giants
The stakes are incredibly high for companies that refuse to play ball. Firms that fail to comply with Japan’s new rules face brutal financial penalties. Initial fines can reach up to 20% of a product’s local revenue. If a company continues to violate the law, that penalty can skyrocket to 30%. This aggressive enforcement mechanism gave Apple very little room to maneuver or fight back in court.
Epic Games wasted no time celebrating the legislative victory. The developer praised the Japanese government for pushing back against restrictive digital storefronts, noting that the new law will provide players with more choices and better prices. For Epic, this represents another hard-fought milestone in its global campaign against the mobile app store duopoly.
Following the European Playbook
This scenario might sound familiar to anyone following global tech regulation. It closely mirrors a massive regulatory battle in Europe. Earlier this year, the European Union’s Digital Markets Act forced Apple to open iOS to rival storefronts. Because of that law, Epic successfully launched its mobile store and brought Fortnite back to iOS in Europe in August 2024. Now, Japan is using a very similar playbook to achieve the same result for its own citizens.
The feud between Apple and Epic Games goes back to August 2020. Back then, Epic updated Fortnite to bypass Apple’s in-app payment system, which takes a 30% cut of all transactions. Apple immediately kicked the game off the App Store, sparking a bitter, years-long legal war. While courts in the United States mostly upheld Apple’s right to control its ecosystem, regulators in Europe and Asia have taken a much tougher stance on antitrust issues.
A Massive Market Reopens
Japan represents one of the most lucrative mobile gaming markets in the world. Smartphones are the primary gaming devices for millions of Japanese players, and the iPhone holds a dominant market share in the country. Losing access to iOS users in Japan was a massive blow to Epic’s revenue, making this legislative shift a major financial opportunity for the developer.
For years, Japanese players had to jump through hoops to play Fortnite on their phones. Many resorted to cloud gaming services like Xbox Cloud Gaming or GeForce Now. While those platforms kept the game accessible, they required high-speed internet connections and lacked the smooth, low-latency performance of a native app. The return of a local iOS version means players can soon download the game directly onto their devices again.
The Long Road to Late 2025
While late 2025 is still a long way off, Epic is already preparing the necessary groundwork. Building and launching an independent app store on iOS is no simple task, even with regulatory support. Apple has historically made third-party installations as complicated as legally allowed, often citing user security and privacy concerns. Epic will have to navigate these bureaucratic hurdles, just as it did in Europe. Still, Japanese gamers finally have a clear light at the end of the tunnel.
