“We will return Fortnite to the US iOS App Store next week,” Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney said on X on May 1st, just as Apple was handed a humiliating court defeat in a case Epic started years ago. It wasn’t the victory Sweeney had hoped for, though. Epic also lost the same case, with the judge siding with Apple for removing Fortnite from the App Store.
The next paragraph in the same tweet served as a hedge, which Sweeney needed, knowing that Apple’s new defeat didn’t automatically mean Fortnite would return to the iPhone worldwide.
“Epic puts forth a peace proposal: If Apple extends the court’s friction-free, Apple-tax-free framework worldwide, we’ll return Fortnite to the App Store worldwide and drop current and future litigation on the topic,” said the CEO.
Epic resubmitted Fortnite to the US App Store a week later using a European account. Several days passed without news. Then, on Friday, May 16th, Apple rejected the Fortnite resubmission. What’s more puzzling is that the game is also blocked on App Store alternatives in Europe.
Fortnite confirmed the whole thing on X early on Friday:
Apple has blocked our Fortnite submission, so we cannot release to the US App Store or to the Epic Games Store for iOS in the European Union. Now, sadly, Fortnite on iOS will be offline worldwide until Apple unblocks it.
As someone who has always sided with Apple on this matter, I’m not surprised to see the iPhone maker reject Fortnite’s resubmission. Epic abused its powers, orchestrating the Fortnite ban to sue Apple and Google years ago and push its agenda. Why would Apple or anyone else trust Epic again?
Yes, Apple’s defeat for failing to allow app developers to inform users about better prices in their apps is deeply disturbing. Apple has angered the court with its behavior, and I can’t defend its choices. This whole thing, enforcing App Store rules that many developers and buyers don’t appreciate, tarnishes its reputation. I say that as someone who doesn’t want third-party App Store rivals, third-party payments, or sideloading.
But that verdict meant nothing for Fortnite’s return to the iPhone.
Speaking of sideloading, you can no longer install Fortnite on iPhone in Europe. The game was available through two distinct app marketplaces: the Epic Games Store and AltStore PAL.
It’s unclear why the game is blocked in the EU on those third-party App Store alternatives now that Apple has rejected the resubmission to the US App Store.
Could Apple have done something to block Fortnite access in the EU? Or did Epic Games remove it on its own? We’re still waiting for details.
