Epic Games is bringing Fortnite back to iPhones in Japan. It is a major victory for the game publisher, made possible by a sweeping new antitrust law targeted directly at mobile tech giants Apple and Google.
The company announced its plans to launch the Epic Games Store on iOS in Japan, with Fortnite leading the charge. Players can expect the game to return sometime in late 2025. It marks a dramatic shift in a years-long feud between Epic and Apple over how mobile apps are distributed and monetized.
This comeback is not the result of a sudden peace treaty between the two companies. Instead, Japanese regulators forced Apple’s hand. In June, Japan’s parliament passed the Act on Promotion of Competition for Specified Smartphone Software. The legislation is designed to break up the digital monopolies that control the smartphone world. It explicitly bans dominant platform operators from blocking third-party app stores and alternative payment systems.
The penalties for ignoring the law are severe. Companies that violate the new rules face fines up to 20% of their domestic revenue from the targeted services. For repeat offenses, that number can climb to 30%. With billions of dollars on the line, Apple has little choice but to open up its notoriously closed ecosystem in the country.
Epic Games was quick to seize the opportunity. “We look forward to bringing the Epic Games Store and Fortnite to iOS in Japan in late 2025,” the company said in a brief statement. For years, Epic’s chief executive, Tim Sweeney, has criticized what he calls the “Apple Tax”—the 30% commission Apple takes from App Store sales. Epic’s fight began in earnest back in 2020, when the developer tried to bypass Apple’s payment system in Fortnite. Apple responded by kicking the wildly popular game off its store completely.
Since that high-profile eviction, Epic has used legal and regulatory pressure around the globe to claw its way back onto mobile screens. Japan’s new law is part of a growing international wave. Earlier this year, Epic successfully launched its games store and Fortnite on iOS in the European Union, thanks to the EU’s Digital Markets Act. The Japanese law functions in a very similar way, offering a blueprint for other nations looking to curb big tech dominance.
While Epic fought Apple in US courts, the legal outcome there was mixed. The courts did not declare Apple a monopoly, though they did force Apple to allow developers to link to outside payment options. Because US courts stopped short of forcing Apple to host rival app stores, legislation in countries like Japan and the EU has become Epic’s primary path forward.
Apple has long defended its walled garden. The tech giant argues that vetting every app and managing all transactions is the only way to protect consumer privacy and keep devices secure from malware. However, Japanese regulators, along with their counterparts in Europe and the US, are increasingly viewing these security arguments as a convenient shield for anti-competitive behavior.
This regulatory shift will reshape the mobile market in Japan. Epic is just the first major developer to announce its plans, but others are likely to follow. Consumers stand to benefit from lower prices and more diverse options as developers bypass Apple’s heavy fees.
Japan is one of the world’s most lucrative mobile gaming markets. For Epic, regaining access to millions of Japanese iPhone users is a massive financial opportunity. Although gamers will have to wait until the law officially takes effect in late 2025, the monopoly that once defined the iPhone experience is clearly starting to fracture.
