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Epic Games\u2019 hope to get Fortnite<\/em> reinstated on the U.S. iPhone App Store crashed and burned. \u00a0Apple used a letter from one of its lawyers to deny the attempt to let iPhone users in the United States install and play the popular game. This is the latest clash in a long-running dispute between the two companies.<\/p>\n Epic claimed Friday that Apple had also blocked Fortnite<\/em> in Europe, which Apple denies.<\/p>\n Apple banned Fortnite<\/em>\u00a0from the App Store<\/a> back in 2020 in a spat between Epic Games and the iPhone maker. They were fighting over in-app payment systems, and a judge recently ruled that Apple must permit<\/a> what Epic wanted to do all those years ago. In the wake of that decision, Epic resubmitted Fortnite<\/em> to the U.S. App Store<\/a> and waited to see how Apple would respond.<\/p>\n Turns out the response wasn\u2019t positive. A letter from Gary Bornstein with Cravath, Swaine & Moore written on Apple\u2019s behalf on Thursday and made public by Epic Games on Friday points out that courts supported Apple banning Epic from the App Store<\/a> after the game developer\u2019s actions in 2020, and Apple sees no reason to change that decision now.<\/p>\n \u201cApple has previously denied requests to reinstate the Epic Games developer account, and we have informed you that Apple will not revisit that decision until after the U.S. litigation between the parties concludes,\u201d said Bornstein.<\/p>\n Apple appealed the judge\u2019s decision that requires it to allow developers include links in their iPhone applications directing users to third-party payment options. And in Apple\u2019s view, until that appeal is settled, the litigation between it and Epic Games goes on.<\/p>\n On Friday, the game developer said via X that, \u201cApple has blocked our Fortnite<\/em> submission<\/a> so we cannot release to the US App Store or to the Epic Games Store for iOS in the European Union. Now, sadly, Fortnite<\/em> on iOS will be offline worldwide until Apple unblocks it.\u201d<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n \u2014 Fortnite (@Fortnite) May 16, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n The game became available for iPhone owners in the European Union after the Digital Markets Act<\/a> forced Apple to allow rival iOS app marketplaces. Fortnite<\/em> went onto one of those<\/a>, but it doesn\u2019t work right now.<\/p>\n As Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney says, \u201cWe need to release a weekly Fortnite<\/em> update with new content this Friday, and all platforms must update simultaneously.\u201d As the iPhone version can\u2019t be updated, it stopped working.<\/p>\n The letter from Apple\u2019s lawyer blames the problem on the way Epic\u2019s Swedish account submitted the app for approval, and says the solution is simple. \u201cThe recent submission by Epic Sweden included a proposed Fortnite<\/em> app for the U.S. storefront of the App Store as well as for alternative distribution in other geographies,\u201d said Bornstein. \u201cTo prevent our discussions surrounding the U.S. storefront of the App Store from impacting Fortnite<\/em> in other geographies, please withdraw that submission and resubmit the app without including the U.S. storefront of the App Store.\u201d<\/p>\n iPhone users eager to play the battle royale title right now can turn to cloud-gaming services. Fortnite<\/em> is available via Amazon Luna<\/a>, Xbox Cloud Gaming<\/a> and more. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\nFortnite<\/em> ban for US iPhones goes on<\/h2>\n
A US\/EU kerfuffle<\/h3>\n
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