We are approaching the 2 year point of when Fortnite was yanked from the iOS App Store (and subsequently, the Google Play Store for Android) for circumventing Apple’s native in-app purchase mechanism and offering discounted in-game currency hosted directly in the game. The whole thing was a calculated publicity stunt by developer Epic Games and its CEO Tim Sweeney to draw attention to Apple’s 30% revenue cut which many think is unfairly high. The whole thing evolved into a legal battle that is still ongoing, but for me the bottom line was always that whether or not the “Apple tax" as Sweeney calls it was fair or not, yanking a popular game like Fortnite out from under the feet of mobile players was always a pretty crappy thing to do. Well, it looks like those mobile gamers yearning for their Fortnite fix now have an official solution, as Epic has partnered up with Microsoft to offer the game on browser-enabled devices through Xbox Cloud Gaming.
It was always a possibility that Fortnite could return to devices via the web browser, and Apple themselves have suggested that using the open web is a perfectly acceptable way to offer experiences on mobile devices that don’t have to adhere to their App Store guidelines. So, that’s what Epic is doing. Xbox Cloud Gaming itself has faced similar roadblocks with App Store guidelines getting their service on iOS devices, pushing them to utilize a browser-based solution. The service is still technically in beta and only available in limited countries, but its performance has grown by leaps and bounds since initially rolling out on in the fall of 2020. It’s also notable that this is the first free to play game on Xbox Cloud Gaming, and that means all you need to play Fortnite through the service is a Microsoft account, internet, and a compatible device. Fortnite on Xbox Cloud Gaming supports both native touch controls and physical controllers, so if you want to give it a spin for yourself head over to Xbox.com/play to get started.
from TouchArcade https://ift.tt/GpclYFq
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