Epic Games has put a stop to Apple’s attempt to release popular games on the App Store across the US and Europe, rendering Fortnite inaccessible on iPhones and iPads worldwide.
“Since Apple has blocked Fortnite submissions, it’s unable to launch in US app stores or the Epic Games store in the EU,” posted the Fortnite X account early Friday. They suggested that Apple’s actions might significantly restrict the availability of iOS games globally.
“Unfortunately, Fortnite on iOS will be offline everywhere until Apple lifts the block,” stated Fortnite.
In a message to the Associated Press, Apple mentioned it specifically requested that Epic Sweden resubmit an app update without US stores included in the App Store, aiming to prevent negative effects on Fortnite in other areas. However, they also said they “did not remove the current version of Fortnite from the alternative secondary market.”
This latest development in the ongoing conflict between Apple and Epic isn’t surprising. Back in 2020, game developers took legal action against Apple, arguing that the tech giant was unfairly using its power against them.
After a month-long trial in 2021, Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers dismissed most of Epic’s claims, but she did state that Apple had been monopolizing in-app payment systems. For the first time, she ordered Apple to permit links to alternative payment options in the US.
After exhausting appeals to the U.S. Supreme Court last year, Apple allowed linking to other payment methods, while also implementing a new system that imposed a 27% fee on in-app transactions made outside its platform.
After accusations that Apple was manipulating the legal process, the issue spurred another lengthy series of court hearings that only recently concluded, further complicating the legal landscape.
With this twist, Epic finally seemed set to return to the US iPhone App Store—a comeback anticipated by many before Apple made this latest move.
On a related note, Fortnite’s availability in the EU was previously planned to transition to an alternative store for iPhone users, now referred to as the Epic Games Store, enabled last year by new regulatory dynamics.
