Epic Says 'Weak' UK Plan Blocks Fortnite's 2025 Return to iOS

Epic Games has criticized a new plan from the U.K.'s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), stating the regulator's roadmap will not open the mobile ecosystem to competition this year. In a post today, Epic announced that it will not be able to bring the Epic Games Store to iOS in the UK in 2025, and said the return of Fortnite to the platform is now "uncertain."

The statement is a direct response to new roadmaps released today by the CMA, which Epic says has chosen "not to prioritize opening the mobile ecosystem to alternative app stores this year." The company noted this decision contrasts with the European Union's Digital Markets Act, which led to the launch of alternative marketplaces including the Epic Games Store. Under the CMA's plan, store competition will be considered sometime in 2026.

Epic also raised concerns about the CMA's plan for allowing developers to steer customers to external payment services. The company said the announcement was vague and warned that without clear rules, Apple could implement the same kinds of "restrictions, obstructions and junk fees" it introduced in the EU, a move Epic described as making a "mockery of the Digital Markets Act."


The company pointed to a recent U.S. court order as the "standard" for creating genuine payment competition. That ruling banned Apple from imposing fees or obstructions on out-of-app payments, a decision that has benefited customers of apps like Spotify and allowed for the return of Fortnite to the U.S. App Store.

Epic noted that today's news from the U.K. contrasts with its plans in other regions, stating it will bring the Epic Games Store and Fortnite to Brazil and Japan later this year. The company said it hopes the CMA will re-examine its decisions during its consultation process.

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