May 15, 2025 — Epic Games has announced that its popular battle royale title Fortnite is no longer available on iPhones and iPads globally, following a move by Apple to block an update submission intended for release on the App Store in both the United States and the European Union.
The official Fortnite account on X (formerly Twitter) 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… Sadly, Fortnite on iOS will be offline worldwide until Apple unblocks it.”
According to Apple, the company had requested that Epic Sweden—the division handling the update—resubmit the app without targeting the US storefront, in order to avoid affecting the app’s availability in other regions. Apple emphasized that it had not removed the live version of Fortnite from alternative marketplaces, though access is now effectively cut off globally due to the nature of the submission block.
Ongoing Legal Tensions
This latest development marks a new chapter in the longstanding legal battle between Apple and Epic Games, which began in 2020 when Epic filed an antitrust lawsuit against the tech giant. The lawsuit accused Apple of monopolistic practices by enforcing exclusive control over in-app payments on iOS.
Following a landmark 2021 ruling, Apple was ordered to allow links to external payment platforms, loosening its grip on in-app purchases. However, the court upheld Apple’s right to impose a commission—initially 30%, later revised to 27%—on those transactions.
In 2024, Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers found Apple in civil contempt for failing to comply with the earlier ruling and prohibited the company from collecting commissions on external payment methods. This decision opened the door for Fortnite’s return to iOS—until this latest blockage.
European Market and the Epic Games Store
Fortnite’s expected return to European iOS devices was to occur via the newly introduced Epic Games Store for iOS, enabled under the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA). Apple was compelled by regulatory authorities to allow third-party app stores on its platform in the EU—a decision that initially allowed Epic Games to establish its own distribution system.
Despite this regulatory opening, Apple’s decision to block the Fortnite update due to its inclusion of US availability now jeopardizes the rollout across all regions, including Europe.
You can visit the official site for more information about Epic Games and Fortnite.
🏷️ Tags:
Apple, Epic Games, Fortnite, iOS apps, App Store, digital markets act, mobile gaming, antitrust, EU tech regulation, alternative app stores
🔖 Hashtags:
#Fortnite #AppleVsEpic #AppStore #iOSGaming #MobileGames #TechNews #DigitalMarketsAct #EpicGamesStore #AppleNews
