The long-running dispute between Epic Games and Apple continues, with each side disagreeing about what’s going on. In the meantime, Fortnite is not available to play — anywhere.
Epic submitted Fortnite to Apple for approval to the U.S. App Store on May 9. It’s still not there and Epic claims that Apple blocked the submission, with the effect that it’s no longer available even in the EU, where alternative app stores have been able to offer the game.
In a post on X on May 16, Epic Games commented on the situation. “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. Now, sadly, Fortnite on iOS will be offline worldwide until Apple unblocks it,” it said.
If that sounds like Apple blocked the game in the EU as well as not approving it, that’s not how Apple saw it. Later the same day, Apple responded with a statement to Bloomberg.
“We asked that Epic Sweden resubmit the app update without including the U.S. storefront of the App Store so as not to impact Fortnite in other geographies. We did not take any action to remove the live version of Fortnite from alternative distribution marketplaces in the EC,” Mark Gurman at Bloomberg reported.
This could be interpreted as Epic Games taking Fortnite offline in the EU instead of submitting an update that doesn’t include Fortnite for the U.S. Apple App Store.
Did Epic Games remove the game from the other marketplaces to make a point and try and put pressure on Apple or seek support from gamers?
Epic doesn’t have a U.S. developer account, which is why Epic Games Sweden made the submission.
Apple is not under any obligation to restore Fortnite to the App Store, as the legal judgment in the lawsuit between Epic and Apple made clear.
It’s noticeable that in the statement Apple made, “Apple didn’t comment on if it would allow Fortnite back into the US store,” as Gurman added.
This is a fast-moving story so please check back for the latest developments.
