Fortnite has made its comeback on the iOS App Store in the United States, as confirmed by Epic Games. Players can now download the game from the App Store here. Epic Games also announced its return to the Epic Games Store and AltStore platforms.
The game was removed from the App Store nearly five years ago after Epic introduced its own in-app payment system, which breached Apple’s policies. However, following a significant court verdict in the Epic Games v. Apple case, which mandated Apple to refrain from imposing fees on transactions made outside of apps, Fortnite is now playable again on U.S. iPhones.
In the aftermath of the ruling, Epic’s CEO Tim Sweeney expressed intentions to restore Fortnite to iOS. He proposed that if Apple would implement the court’s fee-free framework globally, Epic would bring the game back to the App Store worldwide and cease any ongoing and future legal disputes on this matter.
On May 9, Epic submitted Fortnite to Apple, utilizing its developer account in Sweden to file the game for the U.S. App Store.
However, late last week, Epic indicated that Apple had prevented the game’s return to the App Store, and it also went offline from alternative app stores in Europe. Apple clarified that it had requested Epic to resubmit the app update, excluding the U.S. storefront, to avoid affecting Fortnite in other regions, stating that it had not taken any action to remove the live version from alternative distribution channels.
On May 16, Epic appealed to the judge overseeing the Epic v. Apple case, requesting an order for Apple to evaluate its Fortnite submission. The judge responded, indicating that Apple had the capacity to resolve this matter without further court hearings. Should a resolution not be reached, an Apple official responsible for compliance would need to appear at a hearing scheduled for the following Tuesday.
Shortly after Fortnite was reinstated on the App Store on Tuesday, Epic and Apple submitted a joint notice stating they had “resolved all issues” stemming from Epic’s May 16 filing. Apple did not respond immediately to requests for comments.
Epic also unveiled a new promotional initiative designed to encourage the use of its payment system. Players opting for Epic’s payment method in Fortnite, Rocket League, or Fall Guys across PC, iOS, Android, and the web will receive a 20 percent discount in Epic Rewards, which can be utilized for future purchases within these games or the Epic Games Store.
In the latest iOS version of Fortnite, players are informed of the 20 percent bonus as they choose their payment option for buying V-Bucks.
The latest season of Fortnite, themed around Star Wars, launched on May 2nd.
Users downloading the app from the App Store will notice an initial small file size. Upon launching the app, the complete game will download, with the extra data for one user being approximately 12.95GB.
Update, May 20th: Additional information regarding the joint notice from Epic and Apple has been included.
