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On Friday, Epic Games announced that Apple has officially blocked the widely popular game Fortnite from being accessible on iPhones in the United States, as well as through Epic’s own app store in the European Union. Consequently, players who enjoy Fortnite on iOS devices will be unable to access the game until Apple revisits and potentially lifts its ban. It is worth noting that Fortnite had been accessible to iPhone users in Europe starting in August 2024 due to the EU’s Digital Markets Act, which permits the use of third-party app stores on iOS.
In a statement shared via X (formerly known as Twitter), Tim Sweeney, CEO of Epic Games, expressed his concerns regarding Apple’s App Review team. He pointed out that while Apple has the authority to examine submitted apps and decide whether to approve or reject them based on its published guidelines, he believes the tech giant has “weaponized” the app review process. This allegation suggests that Apple is utilizing these review mechanisms to deliberately delay the release of Fortnite’s update. To date, Apple has not publicly addressed these claims.
This ongoing conflict dates back to 2020, when Apple removed Fortnite from the App Store due to its violation of payment policies after Epic decided to implement an external payment method. Fortunately for Epic, an EU court ruled in favor of third-party payment options, allowing Fortnite to return to the App Store last year.
Just a couple of weeks ago, on May 9, Epic Games resubmitted a new iteration of Fortnite via Epic Games Sweden. Typically, the review process from Apple is expected to take about 24 hours. However, Epic reported that it had received no response from Apple even after more than 120 hours had passed. Subsequently, Epic made the decision to withdraw its original submission and refile it with a more updated version of the game. This has led to speculation that Apple might have intentionally blocked the game’s re-entry into the App Store. As of now, Apple has not provided any clarification regarding this situation.
In light of these developments, many are observing closely how this dispute will impact both companies and the broader gaming community. While Epic Games has positioned itself as a champion for developers advocating for fairer app store policies, Apple has stood firm in its existing framework, which has generated substantial revenue for them. The stakes in this battle are high, as they not only affect these two companies but also set precedents for the entire app marketplace landscape.
For users and gamers alike, the ramifications of this ongoing feud may redefine the way games are accessed and monetized in the future. The timely release of updates and the overall availability of popular titles like Fortnite could be significantly influenced as these two tech giants continue to clash.
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