Apple rival Epic Games today announced plans to bring Fortnite to alternative app store AltStore in the European Union, which will mean the popular game will soon be available to download on iPhones and iPads.
Created by developer Riley Testut, AltStore PAL was one of the first alternative app stores on iOS when it launched back in April. AltStore PAL is available in the European Union, where Apple supports sideloading to comply with Digital Markets Act.
AltStore is an open-source app that distributes Testut's popular Delta game emulator as well as apps from other independent developers. Distributing apps through AltStore is free of charge, so Epic Games will not need to pay a fee to Testut, but Apple will collect an 0.50 euro Core Technology Fee (CTF) from Epic Games after Fortnite receives more than one million annual first installs.
Customers who install AltStore must also pay 1.50 euros per year, a fee that is required because of Apple's CTF. Apple charges Testut 0.50 euros each time AltStore is installed.
Along with bringing Fortnite to AltStore, Epic Games said that it will bring Fortnite to other mobile stores that "give all developers a great deal," while also "ending distribution partnerships with mobile stores that serve as rent collectors." Epic Games said that it will be removing Fortnite and other Epic titles from the Samsung Galaxy Store to protest Samsung's "anticompetitive decision to block side-loading by default" on Samsung devices.
Epic Games also reiterated plans to bring its Epic Games Store to iOS in the European Union. Epic will charge a store fee of 12 percent for payments that it processes, and 0 percent on third-party payments.
