Fortnite Returns to iPhone in Brazil Through Epic Games Store, With Friction Over Install Steps
*Epic Games launched its store on iOS in Brazil, restoring access to Fortnite, while criticizing the nine-step process Apple requires for third-party app stores.*
The launch
Fortnite is back on the iPhone in Brazil today with the launch of the Epic Games Store. Users can now download the store directly from the Epic Games website. The move restores the game to iOS devices in the country after its earlier removal from the App Store.
Epic Games described the installation sequence as overly long. The process includes multiple warning screens about apps obtained outside the App Store. Apple designed these steps for alternative app stores in Brazil.
Prior patterns in the EU
In the EU last year, Apple shortened its installation flow from 15 steps to 6 after regulatory pressure. Epic reported a 60 percent decrease in player drop-off during attempts to install the Epic Games Store following that change. The company has pointed to the current nine-step flow in Brazil as a reversal of that improvement.
The additional screens appear intended to deter users from trying alternative stores. Epic Games has called the setup an obstacle to competition.
Reactions
Epic Games stated that the nine-step process creates unnecessary barriers. The company contrasted the Brazilian flow with the shorter EU version that produced measurable gains in completion rates. No other public statements from Apple appear in the available reports.
Why it matters
The nine-step requirement shows how regional rules still leave room for friction that favors the existing App Store. Developers seeking direct distribution face repeated warnings and extra taps that reduce successful installs. If similar flows spread, users in other markets will encounter the same drop-off that Epic measured in the EU before the reduction to six steps. The Brazilian case makes clear that shorter processes improve access while longer ones protect the status quo.
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