Epic Games made Fortnite available again on Apple’s U.S. App Store after it was removed for five years to escape Apple’s in-app payment system requirements which led to a major tech industry court case.
Epic Games activated its own payment system through Fortnite in August 2020 which led to Apple removing the game from its store since Apple required all transactions to use their 30% fee structure. The court battle between Epic Games and Apple spanned multiple years because Epic charged Apple with running a monopoly while Apple defended its consumer protection policies.
The game’s iOS return signals an important development in this major legal dispute between Epic Games and Apple. U.S. players can download Fortnite through the Apple App Store as well as through the Epic Games Store and AltStore in the EU. Epic Games announced the news on social platform X while confirming that “It will show up on Search soon!”
The gaming industry views this development as an unconditional victory for Epic Games. The gaming business professor at NYU Joost van Dreunen declared the move as a definitive victory. The door to App Store payments now stands open because Epic forced it after Apple attempted to restrict access to this feature.
The game’s return demonstrates how regulatory changes have affected the market. The new European competition law enabled Fortnite’s return to the market because it reduces app store operators’ control over their platforms. Google removed its Fortnite download restrictions last year after the company became entangled in multiple legal disputes with Epic.
The 2020 removal of Fortnite sent waves through both the gaming sector and technology industry. The free-to-play battle royale game Fortnite achieved global success through its 400 million registered players before its removal from major app stores. Although Fortnite lost mobile users it maintained a large player base on PCs and consoles.
Fortnite’s return to iOS in the U.S. represents a crucial development in Epic’s ongoing legal battles with Apple. The app store economy now faces significant challenges from developers after Fortnite’s successful return to the market.
