In a significant blow to mobile gamers, Apple has made the definitive decision to prevent Fortnite’s return to iPhones across the United States, a point confirmed by Epic Games. This ruling effectively places the iconic battle royale game in a global offline limbo for iOS users, further polarizing a situation that has been tense for some time now.
Until recently, players in the European Union could enjoy Fortnite through the Epic Games Store’s mobile version. However, this option has now been eliminated. Epic Games articulated its disappointment through a statement on social media, declaring, “Apple has blocked our Fortnite submission, stopping us from releasing the game to the US App Store or the Epic Games Store on iOS in the European Union. Unfortunately, Fortnite on iOS will remain offline worldwide until Apple reconsiders.” This sentiment resonates with many fans who have been eagerly awaiting the game’s return.
This setback follows Epic’s recent efforts to update the game, which resulted in the necessity to withdraw and resubmit the application—a move that created delays. Tim Sweeney, the CEO of Epic Games, pointed out that Apple had been notably unresponsive during a critical stage of this submission process, which is generally expected to unfold swiftly.
The ongoing disputes between Epic Games and Apple have their roots in a much deeper conflict. This originally began when Epic introduced in-game purchase methods that circumvented Apple’s standard payment framework, prompting the removal of Fortnite from both the App Store and Google Play on Android devices. A recent legal ruling found that Apple had been unjustly delaying the submission process and not offering adequate alternative payment avenues, suggesting a potential pathway for Fortnite’s return.
Sweeney took to social media last night, highlighting an irony: while Fortnite remained unavailable, multiple knockoff versions were still accessible on the App Store. Among these was an amusingly named game, “Fort Battle Royale Epic Shoot,” which he noted was taken down shortly after his tweet. “Apple’s App Review team should be free to review all submitted apps promptly and make decisions based on their guidelines,” Sweeney remarked, stressing the importance of a transparent and equitable review process. He criticized the idea that Apple could wield the app review process to suppress competition and free expression.
As this story develops, the gaming community remains on high alert, anxiously awaiting updates on Fortnite’s status on iOS. Nova Play has taken the initiative to contact Apple for clarification on their position with respect to Epic Games and App Store policies.
