Fortnite returns on iOS devices via Xbox Cloud Gaming service

There is massive news for Fortnite fans worldwide as Microsoft announced that the free-to-play battle royale is available on supported devices via Xbox Cloud Gaming. This means that players, using any device, Apple included, can access and play the game anywhere and anytime using their Microsoft account.

After NVIDIA's GeForce NOW, Xbox Cloud Gaming is the second cloud-based service to make the game available to play on iOS devices, thus exposing technical flaws to bring Fortnite back on the platform. The ongoing legal battles between the publisher and Apple continue to make headlines that have divided critics, gamers, and industry leaders.

Fortnite is now available on Android, iOS devices via Xbox Cloud Gaming

Microsoft recently made the free-to-play battle royale available on "browser-enabled devices" via Xbox Cloud Gaming. Bypassing Apple's App Store, you play Fortnite using a Microsoft account to play on supported web browsers, Safari included, on any device.

Take your Victory Royale to the Cloud.

Drop into @FortniteGame on your phone, tablet, or PC with Xbox Cloud Gaming (Beta) for free. No install or subscription required: https://t.co/uh6uFw2PgDpic.twitter.com/P5x4NneZmw

— Xbox (@Xbox) May 5, 2022

To start setting up, head over to Xbox.com/play, log in with a Microsoft Account and sync your Epic Games account to join in on the fun and earn a Victory Royale. Additionally, you can play the game using any supported peripherals, including Xbox Wireless Controllers or utilising your device's touchscreen controls.

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This is quite the technical loophole that will benefit players long-term, despite Apple has yet to respond to the announcement. According to Xbox Cloud Gaming Head of Product Catherine Gluckstein, the addition of Fortnite to the service is to make gaming more accessible as they want players "to have more choice in both the games you play and the way you choose to play them".

Fortnite on Xbox Cloud Gaming adds to growing legal woes for Apple

The beginning of the legal woes between Apple and Epic Games in 2020 was a compelling one, to be sure. After Epic Games switched their in-game purchases for Fortnite over to V-bucks, which prevented Apple from taking 30% of profits made through in-game purchases.

Apple responded swiftly by removing Fortnite from the App Store for "violating the company guidelines", which saw some push back from the publisher. The U.S. District Court ruled that Apple would be prohibited from stopping app developers from redirecting users to payment solutions outside of the App Store.

Apple left things as they stood, stating that they would leave Fortnite banned from the App Store until the judge made his verdict. This meant that anyone with an iOS device had no way of playing Fortnite except on supported consoles and PCs until the recent announcement.

While we anticipate an official statement from Apple in the coming days in response to this announcement, we'll continue to follow this breaking story and update it with the latest news.

For more amazing content, head to our section dedicated to Fortnite news, updates, guides, features and more.

Featured image courtesy of Microsoft.