Japanese iPhone users will soon get to play Fortnite natively on their devices once again. Epic Games has announced plans to launch its digital storefront and flagship battle royale game on iOS in Japan, capitalizing on a sweeping new antitrust law aimed directly at Apple and Google’s mobile monopolies.
The move represents another major crack in Apple’s walled garden. For years, the tech giant controlled every single app that could be installed on an iPhone. Now, pressure from global regulators is forcing that ecosystem to open up, country by country.
Japan’s New Mobile Monopoly Law
In June, Japan’s parliament passed the Act on Promotion of Competition for Specified Smartphone Software. The legislation is designed to stop tech giants from choking out competition in mobile operating systems, app stores, browsers, and search engines.
The rules are tough. They explicitly ban dominant platform operators from blocking third-party app stores and alternative payment systems. Apple and Google will also be barred from giving their own services preferential treatment in search results. Companies that violate the new rules face massive penalties. Fines can reach up to 20 percent of a service’s domestic revenue in Japan. For repeat offenders, that penalty climbs to 30 percent.
Epic Games didn’t waste any time. “We’re excited to bring the Epic Games Store and Fortnite to iOS in Japan in late 2025,” the developer stated in a public announcement. This launch timeline directly aligns with when the Japanese law is expected to fully take effect.
A Long-Running Legal Feud
It’s been a long wait for iOS players. Apple kicked Fortnite off the App Store back in 2020. That happened after Epic tried to bypass Apple’s mandatory 30 percent commission fee by introducing its own direct payment system inside the game. A massive, years-long legal battle followed in the United States. While US courts largely sided with Apple on antitrust claims, the political tide globally has turned against the iPhone maker.
Japan’s regulatory shift closely mirrors the European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA). Because of that European law, Epic has already launched its mobile games store on iOS across Europe. For developers, these legal shifts are a welcome relief. Epic’s CEO, Tim Sweeney, has spent years fighting the absolute control Apple holds over mobile software distribution.
What This Means for Japanese Gamers
For Japanese gamers, this is a massive deal. Japan has one of the largest mobile gaming markets in the world. iPhones are incredibly popular there, holding roughly 60 percent of the smartphone market share. For nearly five years, those millions of users could only access Fortnite on mobile through cloud streaming services. These services often suffer from latency issues and require high-speed internet connections. Playing the game natively on local hardware is a vastly superior experience.
When the store launches, users in Japan will be able to download the Epic Games Store directly from the web, bypass the official App Store, and install Fortnite. Epic also plans to bring other titles, such as Fall Guys, to Japanese iOS devices.
Apple isn’t happy about these developments. The company has historically defended its closed ecosystem as a necessary measure for user security and privacy. They argue that opening up iOS to third-party marketplaces exposes consumers to malware and fraud. However, regulators around the world are increasingly dismissing those arguments, viewing them as excuses to maintain a lucrative monopoly.
As 2025 approaches, all eyes will be on how Apple implements these mandated changes in Japan. If the European rollout is any indication, Apple may try to introduce new fees for developers who opt out of the official App Store, which could spark a whole new round of legal challenges. For now, Japanese gamers can at least mark their calendars.
