Epic Games Store arrives on iPhone in Japan with Fortnite and Rocket League Sideswipe

The Epic Games Store is now live on iPhone in Japan after the country’s Mobile Software Competition Act took effect in December 2025. The law, similar to the EU’s Digital Markets Act, requires support for alternative app stores and payment options on mobile.

For now, the Japan version is launching with Epic’s own games, including Fortnite and Rocket League Sideswipe. According to Epic’s official post, it isn’t bringing in other developers’ apps yet because Apple still charges a 5% Core Technology Commission on apps distributed through third-party stores and requires transaction reporting.

Epic also says Apple’s setup in Japan still puts a lot of friction in front of users. The company claims installing the Epic Games Store on iPhone takes nine steps, which it argues makes it harder for competing storefronts to get traction. Epic pointed to its earlier iOS launch in Europe, where Apple reportedly cut the install flow from 15 steps to six after regulatory pressure, leading to fewer users dropping off during setup.

That means this is a meaningful expansion for Epic on iOS, but not a clean win. The storefront is available in Japan now, though it’s launching in a limited form and Epic is still pushing regulators to crack down on what it sees as anti-competitive rules around fees and distribution.

This is the latest turn in the long-running Epic and Apple fight that started back in 2020, when Fortnite was removed from the App Store. Since then, Epic has been trying to get its store and payment systems back onto iPhone through new laws in different regions, including Europe and the US.