Microsoft has partnered with Epic Games to bring Fortnite back to iPhone and iPad via the Xbox Cloud Gaming platform – and best of all, it’s still free!
Fortnite has been banned from the App Store since the controversy over in-app purchases exploded in August 2020, which commenced a grand legal fight between Apple and Epic.
With Apple holding fast while it appeals part of that verdict, Microsoft and Epic have come up with a cheeky way for Fortnite fanatics to play on iOS once again. Today’s launch also applies to Android phones and tablets.
Best of all, iPhone and iPad owners won’t need to be paid Xbox Game Pass subscribers in order to join the battle royale. They’ll simply be able to visit Xbox.com/Play via a web browser and sign in with a Microsoft account.
Touch controls are available, to you can play with a paired Bluetooth controller, meaning the experience will be very similar to playing within the mobile app itself.
In a blog post today, Microsoft said it is stepping up its free-to-play ambitions, which have seen reports suggest it wants to sell advertisements within games.
“It’s an important step to add a Free-to-Play title to the cloud gaming catalog as we continue our cloud journey,” said by Catherine Gluckstein, Vice President and Head of Product, Xbox Cloud Gaming.
“We’re starting with Fortnite and will look to bring more Free-to-Play games people love in the future. At Xbox we want to make gaming accessible to the 3 billion players around the world, and cloud has an important role in that mission. Quite simply we want you to have more choice in both the games you play and the way you choose to play them.”
On one hand you might think this would chap Apple’s buttocks, but in reality the company is probably happy iPhone owners can continue to play Fortnite, without having to lose face itself by backing down and allowing it back on the App Store.
For its part, Microsoft will hope Fortnite will drive subscriptions to its Xbox Game Pass platform.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
