The Redmond giant is helping Epic Games bring Fortnite onto iOS devices through the Xbox Game Pass cloud gaming service.
If you’ve been keeping up with your gaming news, you’ll know that Epic Games has had a tirade with Apple about getting Fortnite on iOS devices. However, in a potential bid to one-up its primary competitor, Microsoft has allowed Epic Games to host Fortnite on the Xbox Game Pass’s cloud gaming service, meaning you can now play it on any device… even an iPhone.
Microsoft Sneaks Fortnite Onto iOS
As reported by TechCrunch, Microsoft has partnered up with Epic Games to bring Fortnite onto the Xbox Game Pass. Usually, the pass allows people to play games “for free” after paying a monthly fee, so it may seem odd that the company is adding a free-to-play game to its library.
However, the addition wasn’t about saving money. It was about getting Fortnite on the Xbox Game Pass cloud gaming service. And with its addition, players can stream Fortnite to any device they please, including Apple’s.
It’s likely a move by Microsoft to choose a side on the Epic Games vs. Apple fight, as now all of Apple’s consumer base can now play the hit battle royale game regardless of what Apple thinks of it. And Fortnite’s introduction onto the Xbox Game Pass also opens it up for other devices, such as low-spec phones and tablets.
Is Microsoft On Thin Ice?
Microsoft’s daring trick may land it in hot water with Apple. After all, Microsoft had to fight to get its Xbox app onto Apple in the first place.
Beforehand, Apple outright banned the Xbox Game Pass from its app store. Then Apple proposed that the Xbox app could return, but only if every single game that got added to the library was independently reviewed by Apple itself.
Now that Microsoft is using the Xbox Game Pass as a vehicle to sneak Fortnite onto iOS devices, there’s a good chance that Apple reconsiders its ban on the app. We’ll have to see if Apple decides to let it happen, or if it stirs up more drama by kicking Microsoft off the platform again.
The Battle Royale Over Fortnite
With Microsoft taking its stance on the Epic Games vs. Apple fight, we may see Apple take a swing of its own. At any rate, it’s an interesting time for the gaming scene as a whole.
