Fortnite Will Return to iOS Via NVIDIA
By Ayrton Lauw
Fortnite may be back on the iOS before we know it, however, it will not be directly available through the app store. Instead, players will be able to enjoy Fortnite on iOS platforms through Epic Games' partnership with Nvidia's GeForce Now streaming service,
Nvidia's director of product management, Aashish Patel, said both Epic Games and Nvidia are currently working on the ability to release the game on iOS through the GeForce Now service. As the Epic Games vs. Apple trial started recently, Patel said in cross-examination during the trial that Fortnite's release may be in October this year.
Epic is wholeheartedly supporting NVIDIA’s GeForce NOW service with Fortnite and with Epic Games Store titles that choose to participate (including exclusives), and we’ll be improving the integration over time.
— Tim Sweeney (@TimSweeneyEpic) March 7, 2020
Fortnite Back to iOS?
It's been over half a year since both Apple and Google removed Fortnite from each of its app stores. Since then, Epic Games has just started a trial with Apple in regards to the removal of the game due Epic Games' inclusion of a direct payment option in the game.
Apple removed Fortnite from the App Store and has informed Epic that on Friday, August 28 Apple will terminate all our developer accounts and cut Epic off from iOS and Mac development tools. We are asking the court to stop this retaliation. Details here: https://t.co/3br1EHmyd8
— Epic Games Newsroom (@EpicNewsroom) August 17, 2020
Fortnite was removed due to Epic Games' options to buy V-Bucks either through Apple's app store or directly buying it from Epic Games for a discounted price, offering 20% off for directly paying Epic Games. The discount was offered as doing so would skirt the 30% commission on game revenue which would have went directly to Apple, taking away money from Epic Games. Hours after, Apple responded by removing the app from its app store, in which Google also followed suit and removed Fortnite from the Google Play Store as well.
Nvidia and Epic Games will work around the removal with hopes of releasing Fortnite in October through the Nvidia GeForce now streaming service, which can be played directly through the Safari browser on iOS devices. It entails that players that wish to play Fortnite on their Apple device will be able to, so long as they have an account through GeForce Now and an internet connection.
The reason for its potential October release is because of the development to allow Fortnite to be "touch-friendly," as players are able to use different devices from a mobile phone or a laptop in order to play.
GeForce Now is a streaming platform that works similarly to Google's Stadia or Microsoft's xCloud where users are able to play a library of games with just one membership through a cloud base platform. Nvidia's service was released last year that offers a membership service for $9.99 a month in which users can play for "extended session lengths" and have its RTX enabled, or for free, but users are only allowed to play a game for a one-hour session.