Epic Games Store launches on iPhone in Japan
The Epic Games Store is now live on iPhone in Japan after the Mobile Software Competition Act took effect in December 2025. Epic is using the launch to ship its own games first, including Fortnite and Rocket League Sideswipe, but not third-party titles yet.
Epic says Apple’s 5% Core Technology Commission on apps from third-party stores, plus transaction tracking/reporting requirements and a nine-step install flow, still create enough friction and overhead to keep other developers off the store. That matters because it shows how policy wins can still be blunted by platform-level implementation details. Epic is also pressing Japan’s regulators to enforce the law more aggressively, pointing to Europe as evidence that reducing install steps can materially cut drop-off.
“This creates confusion and costs that deter developers from launching on competing app stores.”
- what
- Epic Games Store is now available on iPhone in Japan, but only with Epic’s own titles at launch.
- who
- Epic Games, Apple, and Japan’s Fair Trade Commission are the main parties involved.
- when
- The Mobile Software Competition Act took effect in December 2025; Epic launched in Japan after that.
- impact
- Third-party iOS distribution may still be hard to justify if fees and install friction remain high.
New channel opens, but Epic says Apple still makes it costly
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