Epic makes iOS 26 mandatory for Fortnite mobile tournaments

Fortnite mobile tournaments now require iOS 26, and this applies to all competitive events. Epic Games recently added these rules to strengthen security, and stop people from cheating in the tournaments. Otherwise, there were chances of people spoofing the game or using controllers.

While iOS players have to update to iOS 26, Android players must pass hardware attestation. This announcement came directly from Epic Games, from the official Fortnite Competitive account on X. If you’re a participant in these tournaments, you can check the in-game ‘Compete’ tab for further information. The change is effective immediately, starting from 19th February 2026.

Many players will face direct consequences from this update. iOS users on older software versions, such as iOS 18, cannot join tournaments unless they update. This also means that iPhones that don’t support iOS 26 (all iPhones below the iPhone 11) will no longer be able to compete in tournaments. It’s worth noting that normal matches and overall gameplay are not affected, and Epic Games isn’t forcing you to update to iOS 26 just to play the game. The restriction only applies to competitive tournaments. For Android users, it’ll run hardware checks that verify device integrity.

The reactions from the Fortnite community are diverse. Some people support this move, since it directly prevents cheating in tournaments, while others are disappointed since iOS 26 has a reputation for being rather buggy, with visual changes that some people subjectively dislike. Some people also note that sideloading cheats may bypass this iOS 26 rule, which could defeat the whole purpose of it.

The tournament offers a 1 Million Dollar prize pool across multiple qualifiers, and players compete in solo touch-only Blitz Royale matches. It has three phases, and it kicked off in December. The tournament will last throughout several months in 2026. Top performers earn cash prizes and qualify for LAN events. These changes will hopefully prevent cheating, and we can expect other e-sports-based games to follow suit.

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