Just when it looked like Fortnite was finally about to make its long-awaited return to iPhones and iPads, the saga between Epic Games and Apple has taken yet another dramatic twist. Epic announced that Fortnite is officially unavailable on iOS devices globally, following Apple’s move to block the game’s latest submission for both the U.S. App Store and the upcoming Epic Games Store for iOS in Europe.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Fortnite’s team said, “Apple has blocked our Fortnite submission… sadly, Fortnite on iOS will be offline worldwide until Apple unblocks it.” The update also noted that until Apple lifts its block, Fortnite on iOS will remain offline around the world.
Apple, however, offered a different perspective. In a statement to the Associated Press, the tech giant said it had asked Epic Sweden to revise the update and exclude the U.S. storefront, supposedly to avoid disrupting Fortnite’s availability in other regions. Importantly, Apple clarified that it hadn’t actively removed Fortnite from third-party app marketplaces.
This is just the latest chapter in a legal drama that’s spanned nearly half a decade. The feud began in 2020 when Epic sued Apple for alleged antitrust violations, accusing the iPhone maker of monopolistic practices and exploiting its control over app distribution and payments.
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Though Epic lost most of its claims after a high-profile trial in 2021, the court did mandate that Apple allow links to third-party payment systems, a move that could significantly undercut the company’s in-app commission revenues, which had been a lucrative stream for years.
Fast forward to 2023, and after an exhausting appeals process that reached the U.S. Supreme Court, Apple introduced a new policy that technically allowed alternative payment options but still charged a 27% commission. Epic cried foul again, accusing Apple of defying the spirit of the court ruling. That sparked yet another legal battle, which ended last month when the court held Apple in civil contempt and banned it from charging any commission on alternative transactions.
That ruling paved the way for what was expected to be Fortnite’s triumphant return to iOS in the U.S. and a debut on the Epic Games Store in Europe, where new EU regulations had forced Apple to loosen its grip on app distribution.
But Apple’s latest manoeuvre has thrown a wrench in those plans, once again leaving millions of iPhone users without access to the battle royale juggernaut. Fortnite’s return to iOS remains on pause, caught in the crossfire of one of tech’s most high-stakes rivalries.