Article Summary
Fortnite, the popular video game, is now unavailable on Apple’s iOS worldwide as Apple blocked a submission from Epic Games to rerelease the game in the U.S. and Europe. This move came after a recent court ruling set to allow Fortnite to return to iOS users in the U.S. The conflict between Apple and Epic Games started in 2020 when Apple pulled Fortnite from its app store, and Epic filed an antitrust lawsuit against Apple. After a long legal battle, Apple was ordered to loosen its control over in-app payments, but the conflict continued.
What This Means for You
- If you are an iPhone user who enjoys playing Fortnite, you will not be able to play the game on your device globally until Apple unblocks the submission.
- The conflict between Apple and Epic Games may result in further changes to app store policies and in-app payment systems, affecting app developers and users alike.
- Apple’s decision highlights the power of tech giants in controlling the availability of popular apps, even after court rulings favoring competitors.
- The future of Fortnite on iOS remains uncertain, and Epic Games may continue its legal battle against Apple to re-gain access to the app store.
Original Post
NEW YORK — Fortnite says it’s now unavailable on Apple’s iOS globally because the tech giant blocked a bid to rerelease the popular video game for iPhone users in the U.S. and Europe — marking the latest twist in a yearslong feud.
Apple pulled Epic Games-owned Fortnite from its app store back in 2020, and iPhone players in the U.S. have been locked out since. The EU had been able to download the game through an alternative store over the last nine months.
A recent court ruling was set to clear the way for Fortnite to finally return to iOS users in the U.S. But the video game said early Friday that a move from Apple has prevented that — and, as a result, Fortnite is now dark on iOS globally.
“Apple has blocked our Fortnite submission so we cannot release to the U.S. App Store or to the Epic Games Store for iOS in the European Union,” Fortnite wrote. “Sadly, Fortnite on iOS will be offline worldwide until Apple unblocks it.”
Apple said it asked Epic Sweden to resubmit the app update without the U.S. storefront of the App Store. However, it did not take any action to remove the live version of Fortnite from alternative distribution marketplaces.
In-app transactions, app store, antitrust, Epic Games, Apple, Fortnite.
Key Terms
- Fortnite
- Apple
- iOS
- App Store
- Epic Games
- In-app transactions
- Antitrust lawsuit
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