Xbox has made the Fortnite game free to play on iPhones

The Xbox Cloud Gaming service is making the famous battle royale video game 'Fortnite' available for free on a variety of devices running Apple, Android, or Windows software. Image Credit

Microsoft's video game division Xbox announced on Thursday that it will use cloud computing to offer "Fortnite" free to play on mobile devices running Apple or Android software.

Epic Games' popular battle royale title will be the first free-to-play game offered through an Xbox Cloud Gaming service available in 26 countries, according to the head of product Catherine Gluckstein in a blog post.

Fortnite's comeback to iPhones and iPads comes after the game was removed from Apple's App Store for attempting to circumvent the iPhone maker's payment system.

Epic has accused Apple of having a monopoly on its App Store shop for digital products and services, and the two have clashed in court.

In November, a US federal judge ordered Apple to lessen its grip on its App Store payment alternatives but ruled Epic had failed to show antitrust violations.

Because of a deal with Epic, "Fortnite" will be available for free on Xbox Cloud Gaming.

The game is available on Apple iOS devices, Android phones and tablets, and Windows computers via web browsers, according to Gluckstein.

Apple and Google are the market leaders, with their operating systems powering the vast majority of smartphones worldwide.

"We're just getting started," Gluckstein remarked.

"We'll learn, incorporate feedback, and try to provide even more free-to-play titles to gamers via the cloud in the future."

Antitrust investigators are looking into Microsoft's proposal to buy video game maker Activision Blizzard, and the company has promised that any app store it establishes will treat creators equally.

Microsoft's $69 billion purchase of the video game giant must pass muster with European and American regulators bent on reining in the tech giant.

Microsoft's principles included giving all developers access to its app store and not forcing them to utilize the company's payment mechanism for in-app purchases.