The publisher of the wildly popular online game Fortnite says Apple rejected its submission of the game to the iOS App Store.
In a post on X on Friday, Epic Games said, «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.»
Blocking the game on iOS is the latest development in a legal saga pitting the game publisher against the world’s biggest tech company over App Store fees. Recently, a judge ruled that Apple has been ignoring a 2021 injunction barring it from blocking access to outside links for subscriptions and in-app purchases within mobile apps. That decision led to a class-action lawsuit and allowed publishers including Epic and Spotify to resubmit apps with ways for users to access subscriptions and purchases without paying through the App Store, where Apple takes a cut.
The game was expected to return to the iOS App Store this month but the apparent rejection means that’s not likely to happen soon.
Scanning a QR code to access the game on an iPhone takes users to a webpage that currently reads: «The Epic Games Store on iPhone is only available for European Union customers.»
Apple responds, sort of
In a response to CNET and other outlets, Apple denied removing Fortnite from «alternative distribution marketplaces,» an allegation Epic Games hasn’t made. Apple’s full statement read, «We asked that Epic Sweden resubmit the app update without including the U.S. storefront of the App Store so as not to impact Fortnite in other geographies. We did not take any action to remove the live version of Fortnite from alternative distribution marketplaces.»
Apple didn’t elaborate on Fortnite’s submission status for the US App Store.
Because of regulatory differences and legal rulings in the EU, Epic has been able to release its Epic Game Store for iOS in that region, and gamers could download Fortnite through that app. Because the Fortnite update has to be applied on iOS across the board, that’s no longer the case.
Effects on the ecosystem
Fortnite’s absence from Apple’s storefront is affecting not only players and Epic but creators who contribute to the platform, says one designer.
«This is colossal for the emerging platform economy… there are so many players on mobile. It can’t be understated,» said Alex Seropian, the co-founder of game company Bungie who now runs Look North World, which creates and publishes game content for platforms like Fortnite. Look North World has been behind Fortnite creations including Hasbro’s Connect Four and Tower of Heck.
«If you look at Roblox, mobile is more than half of where their audience plays,» Seropian said. «Right now, Fortnite simply doesn’t have that, so Epic coming back to iOS is a huge deal for so many reasons. There is a huge distribution shift happening from a retail economy to a platform economy… Gen-Z and Gen-Alpha want the fastest access and most social experience. They’re waiting for us to meet them where they are on mobile.»
He’s hoping Epic and Apple resolve the situation for the benefit of gamers, studios and creators. Currently, Seropian said, creators who have ideas for platforms like Fortnite are in a holding pattern given the situation with Apple.
«We’re seeing what I call the excitement-confusion sandwich,» he said. «They’re excited to make experiences for mobile, especially since many never have before, and they have a ton of amazing ideas. But they’re confused about when people will be able to play these creations and what this new chapter of Fortnite on mobile will look like.
«So we’re all hurrying up and waiting. But I think the wait will be worth it,» Seropian said.
