Epic Games said today that Apple has blocked its attempt to bring Fortnite back to iOS devices, leaving the popular battle royale game unavailable on iPhones and iPads worldwide.
"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," Epic stated via its Fortnite account on X (Twitter). "Now, sadly, Fortnite on iOS will be offline worldwide until Apple unblocks it."
Apple banned the Epic Games developer account back in 2020 when Epic Games violated its App Store rules to add web-based purchases, kicking off a multi-year legal battle. Because the main Epic Games developer account continues to be banned, Epic submitted Fortnite to the U.S. App Store using an account from Epic Games Sweden, a subsidiary that Epic formed to create the Epic Games Store alternative app marketplace in the European Union.
The game was submitted for review on May 9, but after waiting over 120 hours without a response, Epic was forced to pull and resubmit its application to include the latest update.
Epic CEO Tim Sweeney has been vocal about his frustration with the situation, claiming that Apple has not been returning the company's calls and that the review process typically moves much faster.
Before submitting Fortnite to the U.S. App Store, Epic CEO Tim Sweeney said the company spoke with Apple about its plans – but never claimed Apple approved them. It remains unclear if Apple will allow Fortnite back, as the Epic v. Apple lawsuit confirmed that Apple has the right to ban Epic's account and isn't required to reinstate it.
It's the latest chapter in the ongoing legal battle between the two companies, which began in 2020 when Apple removed Fortnite from the App Store after Epic implemented direct payment options that bypassed Apple's 30% commission.
The game had briefly returned to iOS devices in the EU via the Epic Games Store, but that version has now also gone offline.
