Epic Games' globally popular title Fortnite has made a full comeback to Apple's App Store in the United States, the company confirmed on Tuesday. The announcement follows a prolonged legal standoff between the two tech giants that began in 2020.
“Fortnite is BACK on the App Store in the US on iPhones and iPads… and on the Epic Games Store and AltStore in the EU!” the company declared in a post on X.
The game, once removed due to a dispute over Apple's in-app payment system, had remained unavailable to iPhone users in the US. Although it returned to iOS devices in the European Union last year—thanks to regulatory pressure—its presence on the US storefront remained blocked until now.
Why was Epic Game's Fortnite removed?
At the core of the dispute were what Epic Games called “junk fees” — the commissions of up to 30 percent that Apple charges developers on in-app purchases.
“Apple’s commission comes at the expense of consumers and developers,” Epic said in a statement on X last week.
Back in 2020, Fortnite was booted from the App Store after Epic introduced an in-app payment workaround that bypassed Apple’s billing system. This prompted Apple to ban the game, triggering a courtroom saga that would span years and continents.
The North Carolina-based game studio has long argued that Apple’s App Store model is anti-competitive and restricts developers from offering alternative payment methods. Though Epic scored partial victories in US courts and gained support through the European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), the full impact of those wins only became visible recently.
Fortnite’s return was spurred by a recent ruling by a US federal judge on 30 April. The court found Apple had violated a 2021 order that required it to allow more competition for downloads and payments within the App Store. The judge referred the case to federal prosecutors for a criminal contempt probe into Apple’s conduct.
Following the ruling, Epic swiftly resubmitted Fortnite for review. Apple, in earlier statements, said it had asked Epic in Sweden to remove references to the US storefront from its app submission to avoid affecting availability elsewhere.
“We did not take any action to remove the live version of Fortnite from alternative distribution marketplaces,” an Apple spokesperson stated.
Apple did not respond immediately to new requests for comment on Fortnite’s reinstatement.
For Epic, the win was long overdue. But some analysts are questioning whether it’s too late to make a real difference.
“For Epic Games this was a hard fought win that carried a very steep price and may be too late to boost its Fortnite game that is now past its prime,” said Gil Luria, analyst at D.A. Davidson.
Epic reported having 116 million users on Apple's platform before the ban. Though Fortnite still claims around 500 million global users as of 2023, engagement has shifted over the years, and the battle royale genre faces intense competition.
“We back fam,” Epic CEO Tim Sweeney posted on X, celebrating the decision.
What it means for developers and the App economy
The ruling’s implications may reach far beyond Fortnite. Michael Ashley Schulman, chief investment officer at Running Point Capital Advisors, said it could change how developers approach monetisation.
“This opens the door for subscription apps like Spotify and Netflix to claw back margin and for independent studios to monetise without having to pay Apple an extra commission,” Schulman noted.
He suggested the changes could reshape Apple’s App Store economics over the next 12 to 18 months.
Fortnite, launched in 2017, quickly grew into one of the most played video games worldwide due to its battle royale format. Its ban by both Apple and Google in 2020 over payment rule violations marked a turning point in how developers challenge platform control.
While Fortnite returned to Android and EU iPhones last year under pressure from new rules like the DMA, the US App Store remained a holdout—until now.
Epic alleges that Apple deliberately slowed the app review process in the US. That standoff is now resolved, at least for Fortnite.
Whether it changes the game industry permanently, however, remains to be seen.
“Fortnite is BACK on the App Store in the US on iPhones and iPads… and on the Epic Games Store and AltStore in the EU!” the company declared in a post on X.
Fortnite is BACK on the App Store in the U.S. on iPhones and iPads... and on the Epic Games Store and AltStore in the E.U! It’ll show up in Search soon!
— Fortnite (@Fortnite) May 20, 2025
Get Fortnite on the App Store in the U.S. ➡️ https://t.co/HQu3pYCXFm pic.twitter.com/w74QPFFkOS
The game, once removed due to a dispute over Apple's in-app payment system, had remained unavailable to iPhone users in the US. Although it returned to iOS devices in the European Union last year—thanks to regulatory pressure—its presence on the US storefront remained blocked until now.
Why was Epic Game's Fortnite removed?
At the core of the dispute were what Epic Games called “junk fees” — the commissions of up to 30 percent that Apple charges developers on in-app purchases.
“Apple’s commission comes at the expense of consumers and developers,” Epic said in a statement on X last week.
Back in 2020, Fortnite was booted from the App Store after Epic introduced an in-app payment workaround that bypassed Apple’s billing system. This prompted Apple to ban the game, triggering a courtroom saga that would span years and continents.
The North Carolina-based game studio has long argued that Apple’s App Store model is anti-competitive and restricts developers from offering alternative payment methods. Though Epic scored partial victories in US courts and gained support through the European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), the full impact of those wins only became visible recently.
Fortnite’s return was spurred by a recent ruling by a US federal judge on 30 April. The court found Apple had violated a 2021 order that required it to allow more competition for downloads and payments within the App Store. The judge referred the case to federal prosecutors for a criminal contempt probe into Apple’s conduct.
Following the ruling, Epic swiftly resubmitted Fortnite for review. Apple, in earlier statements, said it had asked Epic in Sweden to remove references to the US storefront from its app submission to avoid affecting availability elsewhere.
“We did not take any action to remove the live version of Fortnite from alternative distribution marketplaces,” an Apple spokesperson stated.
Apple did not respond immediately to new requests for comment on Fortnite’s reinstatement.
For Epic, the win was long overdue. But some analysts are questioning whether it’s too late to make a real difference.
“For Epic Games this was a hard fought win that carried a very steep price and may be too late to boost its Fortnite game that is now past its prime,” said Gil Luria, analyst at D.A. Davidson.
Epic reported having 116 million users on Apple's platform before the ban. Though Fortnite still claims around 500 million global users as of 2023, engagement has shifted over the years, and the battle royale genre faces intense competition.
“We back fam,” Epic CEO Tim Sweeney posted on X, celebrating the decision.
What it means for developers and the App economy
The ruling’s implications may reach far beyond Fortnite. Michael Ashley Schulman, chief investment officer at Running Point Capital Advisors, said it could change how developers approach monetisation.
“This opens the door for subscription apps like Spotify and Netflix to claw back margin and for independent studios to monetise without having to pay Apple an extra commission,” Schulman noted.
He suggested the changes could reshape Apple’s App Store economics over the next 12 to 18 months.
Fortnite, launched in 2017, quickly grew into one of the most played video games worldwide due to its battle royale format. Its ban by both Apple and Google in 2020 over payment rule violations marked a turning point in how developers challenge platform control.
While Fortnite returned to Android and EU iPhones last year under pressure from new rules like the DMA, the US App Store remained a holdout—until now.
Epic alleges that Apple deliberately slowed the app review process in the US. That standoff is now resolved, at least for Fortnite.
Whether it changes the game industry permanently, however, remains to be seen.
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