Learn extra at:
What simply occurred? After being lacking for nearly 5 years, Fortnite is again on the iOS retailer within the US. The 1,740 days because it was eliminated have seen Apple and Epic Video games struggle issues out within the courts, however now it has lastly returned to Apple’s App Retailer within the US, in addition to the Epic Video games Retailer and AltStore within the European Union.
Fortnite is now searchable and downloadable on iOS within the US, that means iPhone and iPad homeowners can as soon as once more benefit from the battle royale large on their units. Unsurprisingly, Fortnite has already taken the highest spot within the retailer’s Motion Video games class.
we again fam https://t.co/X14bCXoylB
– Tim Sweeney (@TimSweeneyEpic) May 20, 2025
There’s been quite a bit occurring within the Epic vs. Apple drama in current instances. As a reminder, Fortnite was removed from the App Store in 2020 after it launched a direct cost technique within the sport that circumvented Apple’s App Retailer fee. It was additionally faraway from the Google Play Retailer for a similar purpose.
Because of everybody who supported the trouble to open up cell competitors and #FreeFortnite from the very starting. And because of all the people who initially sided with Apple then later got here round to the successful facet, supporting app developer rights and shopper rights. https://t.co/Mw7kE7byLp
– Tim Sweeney (@TimSweeneyEpic) May 20, 2025
However Apple was lately ordered by a federal choose to halt practices which have restricted competitors and maintained excessive commissions on app gross sales. The latter was a reference to the 30% fee Apple takes on purchases that buyers make in iOS apps.
The ruling paved the way in which for Fortnite to return to the iOS App Retailer within the US and globally. Epic Video games CEO Tim Sweeney posted that it will occur in the beginning of the month – the corporate’s Sweden developer account submitted the sport to the US App Retailer on Could 9.
However Fortnite by no means returned. Final week, the sport’s official account stated in an X put up that Apple had blocked its Fortnite submission so it couldn’t be launched to the US App Retailer or to the Epic Video games Retailer for iOS within the European Union. It added that Fortnite on iOS could be offline worldwide till Apple unblocked it.
Apple’s response was that it had “requested that Epic Sweden resubmit the app replace with out together with the US storefront of the App Retailer in order to not impression Fortnite in different geographies” and that “we didn’t take any motion to take away the reside model of Fortnite from various distribution marketplaces.”
On Could 16, Epic requested the District Decide in its case towards Apple, Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, to assessment Epic’s submission of Fortnite to the US App Retailer in a brand new courtroom submitting. Epic argued that, not for the primary time, Apple was in contempt of courtroom by ignoring the sooner ruling – Apple and its vp of finance, Alex Roman, have been referred to federal prosecutors for a felony contempt investigation.
– Tim Sweeney (@TimSweeneyEpic) May 19, 2025
The choose’s response was for Apple to resolve the matter by itself or for the Apple official who “is personally accountable for making certain compliance” to look at a listening to subsequent week.
In a joint notice (posted by The Verge), Epic and Apple stated they’ve “resolved all points” from the submitting associated to the submission, permitting Fortnite to lastly return to iOS in america.
In different Fortnite information, actors union SAG-AFTRA has filed an unfair labor observe cost towards Llama Productions, a subsidiary of Epic Video games, over using AI to recreate the voice of the late James Earl Jones for Darth Vader within the sport.
