Fortnite has been completely inaccessible on iOS devices since August 2020, following a dispute between Apple and Epic Games over charges on in-app purchases. The chances of the game ever returning to the App Store look pretty slim, but there seems to be a new hope for Fortnite fans: Nvidia’s GeForce NOW. According to Nvidia’s blog, a closed beta for Fortnite on iOS devices will begin next week, which will be accessed through the Safari App. All GeForce NOW members are eligible for the beta, and registration is now open. The beta will admit players “in batches over the coming weeks.”
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The GeForce NOW trial will be playable with a gamepad, but the beta will see the introduction of touch controls. It’s free to register for a GeForce NOW account, but there are paid versions that allow priority access to servers. A paid membership is not required to be eligible for the beta, however.
While the idea of Fortnite being accessible on iOS through GeForce NOW might seem surprising, Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney has been laying the groundwork for this move for nearly two years. In March 2020, Sweeney released a number of Tweets endorsing GeForce NOW, and begging other developers to do the same. In that same Tweet thread, Sweeney even referred to the “iOS and Google Play payment monopolies,” sowing the seeds for conflicts with those companies just a few months later.
It remains to be seen how the Fortnite beta will play out, but hopefully it will offer players an enjoyable alternative, now that the app is no longer available. The conflict between Apple and Epic Games has been a source of frustration for a lot of players, and they’re the ones that have suffered since it began. Readers interested in registering for the beta can do so right here.
Fortnite is currently available on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC. You can check out all of our previous coverage of the game right here.
Do you plan on checking out this open beta for Fortnite? Are you happy to see the game returning to iOS devices? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk all things gaming!
