Fortnite makes a return to Apple App Store 5 years after removal

Fortnite was removed from the Apple App Store in the US five years ago. But the game is back on the US Apple App Store now. The online video game's comeback was not a swift and easy decision, but it needed legal help. The reason why the game was removed from the App Store is because of an update Epic Games made in 2020. The game developer updated Fortnite to bypass Apple's in-app payment system, so that the player can pay them directly. This update was not approved by Apple, which led them to kick the game off their store.

When paying for a game through Apple's in-app payment, it receives up to 30% commission. However, fast forward to last month, U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers asked Apple to show the court the:

"legal authority upon which Apple contends that it can ignore this Court’s order."

The court also said that Apple cannot charge a commission or dictate how links are supposed to look. This led to the next step, where Epic Games submitted Fortnite to Apple's App Store on May 9, 2025. Before getting back on the Apple App Store, it has to clear an App Review.

Apple took a long time to approve the game, and because of that, Epic Games filed a legal challenge against the multinational corporation last week. On May 19, a judge told Apple that they have to give reasons as to why the video game's status had not been approved on the App Store. Judge Gonzalez also added:

"Apple is fully capable of resolving this issue without further briefing or a hearing."

More details about Fortnite getting back on the Apple App Store

Apple did not agree with the court's ruling and decided to appeal it to make a change. As they are waiting for the court's decision, they also want to pause the current order so that they can undo some of the changes they have made to the App Store.

There is more to the Apple and Epic Games drama. After Apple removed Fortnite from its App Store, Epic sued Apple, and the former canceled the latter's developer account. However, Epic managed to get another developer account in Europe, and the online video game was made available in Europe, but through a third-party app store. Even then, Apple tried to cancel Epic Games' European account.

The legal battle between Apple and Epic Games has been a long one, starting in 2020. However, in 2025, the game developer emerged victorious after Apple approved Fortnite on May 20, 2025. US residents can download the game again on their iPhones or iPads.

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