Fortnite Returns to US App Store After 5-Year Legal Battle
Fortnite has officially returned to the Apple App Store in the United States, marking a significant milestone in the years-long legal standoff between Epic Games and the iPhone maker. The battle royale title is now reappearing for users after a five-year absence.
The return follows a directive from U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers earlier this week. The judge ordered Apple to either approve the game’s submission to the platform or provide a concrete legal justification for continuing to block it. This development appears to have forced the breakthrough, with Epic Games confirming the game will populate in search results shortly.
The Origins of the Conflict
The dispute began in 2020 when Epic Games introduced a direct payment option for in-game currency, bypassing Apple’s mandatory billing system to offer players a 20% discount. Apple responded by removing the game from its store, leading to a protracted legal battle over antitrust concerns.
Key developments in the case have included:
- A judicial finding that Apple was in “willful violation” of rules prohibiting anticompetitive pricing.
- A ruling last month requiring Apple to permit developers to collect payments outside the App Store ecosystem without imposing levies.
- Recent accusations from Epic claiming that Apple had been actively obstructing the game’s re-release in both the U.S. and EU markets.
Current Availability
In addition to its return on the U.S. App Store, the game is also available via the Epic Games Store and the AltStore for users in the European Union. The version now appearing on Apple’s platform maintains the core features of the dispute, including an option for players to secure a 20% discount by opting for direct payment through Epic rather than utilizing Apple’s in-app purchase infrastructure.
Following the court’s intervention, Epic had resubmitted the title, though the process was initially met with delays that the publisher described as a deliberate attempt to keep the app offline.