5yrs After Its Last Appearance, Fortnite is Back in The US App Store

In the midst of Epic Games’ protracted legal battle with Apple, the well-known battle royale game Fortnite has finally made a comeback to the U.S. App Store.

Five years after it was taken down from the App Store, Fortnite, a first-person shooter game developed by Epic Games, was allowed to return to the U.S. App Store on Tuesday.

In 2020, Fortnite was removed from the App Store after Epic changed the game online to accept payments directly rather than via Apple’s in-app payment system, which charges up to 30%. The action infuriated Apple and sparked a protracted legal dispute.

In the EU, Fortnite is also accessible on the AltStore and Epic Games Store as of Tuesday. Epic stated in a post on X that it will soon be visible in App Store searches.

After Epic introduced the ability for users to pay for in-game items using its virtual money, which the business provided at a 20% discount, Apple took Fortnite out of the App Store in 2020. Epic then went on the offensive and filed a lawsuit against Apple.

Since Epic submitted the software to Apple on May 9, the company has been taking its time to approve it. Epic launched a court challenge last week, and a judge ruled on Monday that Apple needed to either explain why Fortnite hadn’t been authorized yet or reach an agreement with Epic on the game’s status.

A judge decided in favour of Epic, concluding that Apple had engaged in “wilful violation” of laws against anti competitive pricing. That judge ruled last month that Apple must not charge developers for payments they receive outside of the App Store.

Epic won a legal battle last month when a judge said that Apple could not impose a fee on apps that link out for money or control whether or not those connections resemble buttons. Last week, Epic announced that Fortnite has been added to the US App Store. In order to be allowed to return, Fortnite had to pass Apple’s App Review process, which involves having new apps or updates examined by Apple staff members to make sure they function and follow company policies.

Epic resubmitted Fortnite to the App Store after the decision, but it was delayed in clearance. The business claimed that Apple had prevented the game from launching in the US and the EU.

In a filing earlier this week, U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers stated that Apple should either accept Epic’s submission or provide evidence that it had a legitimate reason to reject it. That might have worked in favour of Epic’s.

Additionally, if you purchase in-game things straight from Epic rather than through Apple’s in-app purchase system, the updated Fortnite version that is available on the App Store gives 20% cashback.

Apple is requesting a delay to allow it to reverse the modifications it has already made to the App Store in accordance with the most recent court ruling, which it is contesting. A request for comment was not immediately answered by an Apple official.

The decision last month caused big app developers like Spotify and Amazon to must modify their applications to include buttons for purchasing content. For instance, customers can now purchase Kindle books directly from the iPhone’s Kindle app.

With the modifications made possible by last month’s order, Amazon and Spotify were able to upgrade previously approved apps. In addition to booting Fortnite, the iPhone manufacturer deleted Epic’s developer account after Epic filed a lawsuit against it.

Under the Digital Markets Act, which went into effect last year, Epic was able to obtain a European developer account and is currently selling Fortnite in Europe through a third-party app store. Fortnite is also accessible to iPhone users via cloud gaming providers. However, Epic said that Apple attempted to cancel its account even in Europe before reversing course.

An increasingly significant portion of Apple’s revenue comes from the fees it collects from the App Store. Advertising, AppleCare warranties, payments, and subscription services like Apple TV+ are all included in Apple’s Services division. Apple’s March quarter services revenue was close to $27 billion.