Fortnite returning to iOS in Korea as Epic Games looks to mend Apple relationship

Fortnite will once again be on iOS devices in the near future as Epic Games has reached a new agreement with Apple amidst their ongoing legal battle.

What began on August 13, 2020, soon spiraled into one of the biggest legal battles in the gaming industry. Epic Games removed its hit battle royale Fortnite from the App Store while announcing a lawsuit against Apple.

This all stemmed from a new payment structure in Fortnite that all but allowed players to bypass Apple’s 30% App Store fee. Almost imminently, the popular game was pulled down on handheld devices as a result.

While the legal dealings have been messy and right in the public spotlight ever since, both tech giants could now be on the verge of turning a new leaf. Epic is seeking an agreement with Apple to redeploy Fortnite on iOS in Korea.

Korean players may be the first to get Fortnite back on their Apple devices, Epic Games announced in a September 10 tweet. While no specific date was outlined, the ‘intention’ is there as Apple must agree to meet in the middle due to new Korean laws.

Rather than having just Epic-direct payments in the app or just Apple’s traditional payments with a 30% cut, Fortnite will soon “offer both” in Korea.

This “side-by-side” agreement works “in compliance” with “new Korean law,” Epic added. So with the restoration of Fortnite on local iOS devices now underway, it could be the first domino to fall and indicate a path to resolution. 

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Evidently not on the best of terms in recent months, Epic has now extended an olive branch once again and “asked Apple to restore [its] developer account.”

If successful, this could see all Epic Games titles restored on iOS devices. Not just in Korea, but perhaps globally if the two companies can settle their differences following this new step.

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It’s still early days yet, so anything is possible, though it certainly appears to be a step in the right direction for eager Fortnite fans waiting to play again on their Apple products.