Summary
- Epic Games says Apple has blocked Fortnite’s submission to the US App Store and the Epic Games Store in the EU.
- Fortnite is now offline globally on iOS, with no current access across any region.
- The dispute is part of a long-running legal battle over Apple’s in-app payment policies and commissions.
Epic’s Attempt to Bring Fortnite Back to iOS Blocked Again
Fortnite has been taken offline globally on iOS, according to Epic Games, after Apple allegedly blocked the game’s recent submission to the App Store in the US and the Epic Games Store in the European Union. The news was shared on Fortnite’s official X account, confirming that the game cannot currently be accessed on iPhones or iPads anywhere in the world.
Epic Games stated: “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.”
Apple Responds With Clarification
Apple issued a response claiming it did not remove Fortnite from alternative marketplaces, but rather asked Epic to resubmit the update without including the US storefront, to avoid impacting other geographies. Still, Epic’s decision not to comply has resulted in global iOS inaccessibility for Fortnite, at least for the time being.
Years-Long Legal Battle Resurfaces
This development is the latest chapter in a long and bitter antitrust dispute between Apple and Epic Games. The conflict began in 2020 when Epic attempted to bypass Apple’s 30% in-app purchase commission by linking to its own payment portal, prompting Apple to remove Fortnite from the App Store entirely. Epic filed a lawsuit soon after, triggering a legal saga that reached the U.S. Supreme Court.
Although a 2021 ruling forced Apple to allow links to alternative payment options, the company continued charging up to 27% commission on external purchases. Just last month, a U.S. judge found Apple in civil contempt and banned it from collecting those commissions — a ruling that gave Epic hope of reinstating Fortnite on iOS.
Fortnite Blocked in EU Storefronts Too
While Epic had planned to reintroduce Fortnite to the App Store in the U.S. and through its own Epic Games Store in the EU, both attempts have been halted due to Apple’s intervention. This decision comes despite the EU’s Digital Markets Act allowing third-party app stores on iOS in Europe — a regulation under which Epic had been operating.
Gabriel Le Roux, co-founder of payments startup Primer, weighed in: “Developers are boxed into a rigid ecosystem. For gaming companies, the economics are brutal. Losing 15–30% on every in-app transaction can completely erode profitability.”
Conclusion
The Fortnite iOS saga continues to highlight the growing tensions between app developers and digital storefront gatekeepers. While Epic had legal momentum in its favor, Apple’s latest block has once again pulled Fortnite offline from the iOS ecosystem worldwide. The battle over app store freedom — and who controls the gateway to mobile gaming — is far from over.
