Plans are in place to allow users to play Epic Games' "Fortnite" on iOS and iPadOS again using Nvidia's GeForce Now cloud gaming service in Safari, the BBC has discovered.
Nvidia has reportedly developed a version of its GeForce Now cloud gaming service that works in Safari on iOS and iPadOS, and Fortnite looks to be a key title on the platform for Apple devices that have lost the game due to the ongoing legal battle between Epic Games and Apple.
In August 2020, Apple removed Fortnite from the App Store after Epic Games introduced a direct payment option in the app for its in-game currency, defying the App Store rules. In what appears to have been an orchestrated move, Epic Games promptly filed a lawsuit and a press campaign against Apple, accusing the company of anti-competitive behavior.
Using an online streaming service will allow Epic Games to circumvent Apple's ban on the game as an app. iPhone and iPad owners will be able to play Fortnite without charge through GeForce Now's free basic tier, though Nvidia limits these sessions to a duration of one hour.
Other games streaming services, such as Google Stadia, Microsoft xCloud, and Amazon Luna, have also laid out plans to access iOS users via Safari. However, none of these other platforms hosts Fortnite, leaving GeForce Now as the only way to play the game on iPhone or iPad.
Nvidia has not yet formally announced that GeForce will be coming to iOS, but it is expected to do so before the winter holidays. The service is already available for Mac.
After a California judge denied Epic Games' request for a preliminary injunction that would have required Apple to allow Fortnite back into the App Store, the court case between Apple and Epic Games is due to go to trial in May.
