Apple blocks ‘Fortnite’ return to US iPhone App Retailer [Updated]

Epic Video games’ hope to get Fortnite reinstated on the U.S. iPhone App Retailer crashed and burned.  Apple used a letter from certainly one of its attorneys to disclaim the try and let iPhone customers in the USA set up and play the favored recreation. That is the most recent conflict in a long-running dispute between the 2 corporations.

Epic claimed Friday that Apple had additionally blocked Fortnite in Europe, which Apple denies.

Fortnite ban for US iPhones goes on

Apple banned Fortnite from the App Retailer again in 2020 in a spat between Epic Video games and the iPhone maker. They have been preventing over in-app fee programs, and a choose lately dominated that Apple should allow what Epic needed to do all these years in the past. Within the wake of that call, Epic resubmitted Fortnite to the U.S. App Retailer and waited to see how Apple would reply.

Seems the response wasn’t optimistic. A letter from Gary Bornstein with Cravath, Swaine & Moore written on Apple’s behalf on Thursday and made public by Epic Video games on Friday factors out that courts supported Apple banning Epic from the App Retailer after the sport developer’s actions in 2020, and Apple sees no motive to vary that call now.

“Apple has beforehand denied requests to reinstate the Epic Video games developer account, and we’ve got knowledgeable you that Apple is not going to revisit that call till after the U.S. litigation between the events concludes,” mentioned Bornstein.

Apple appealed the choose’s resolution that requires it to permit builders embody hyperlinks of their iPhone purposes directing customers to third-party fee choices. And in Apple’s view, till that attraction is settled, the litigation between it and Epic Video games goes on.

A US/EU kerfuffle

On Friday, the sport developer mentioned through X that, “Apple has blocked our Fortnite submission so we can not launch to the US App Retailer or to the Epic Video games Retailer for iOS within the European Union. Now, sadly, Fortnite on iOS might be offline worldwide till Apple unblocks it.”

Apple has blocked our Fortnite submission so we can not launch to the US App Retailer or to the Epic Video games Retailer for iOS within the European Union. Now, sadly, Fortnite on iOS might be offline worldwide till Apple unblocks it.

— Fortnite (@Fortnite) Could 16, 2025

The sport turned accessible for iPhone homeowners within the European Union after the Digital Markets Act compelled Apple to permit rival iOS app marketplaces. Fortnite went onto a type of, however it doesn’t work proper now.

As Epic Video games CEO Tim Sweeney says, “We have to launch a weekly Fortnite replace with new content material this Friday, and all platforms should replace concurrently.” Because the iPhone model can’t be up to date, it stopped working.

The letter from Apple’s lawyer blames the issue on the way in which Epic’s Swedish account submitted the app for approval, and says the answer is easy. “The latest submission by Epic Sweden included a proposed Fortnite app for the U.S. storefront of the App Retailer in addition to for different distribution in different geographies,” mentioned Bornstein. “To forestall our discussions surrounding the U.S. storefront of the App Retailer from impacting Fortnite in different geographies, please withdraw that submission and resubmit the app with out together with the U.S. storefront of the App Retailer.”

iPhone customers desperate to play the battle royale title proper now can flip to cloud-gaming providers. Fortnite is offered through Amazon Luna, Xbox Cloud Gaming and extra.