Epic Games is once again clashing with Apple, claiming that the tech giant is obstructing the return of Fortnite to both the U.S. and European Union App Stores.
Following a legal win that forced Apple to permit third-party payment options in its U.S. App Store, Epic moved forward with submitting Fortnite for approval on May 9, 2025. However, after a full week without a response, Epic withdrew the initial submission. According to CEO Tim Sweeney, the delay disrupted their release schedule, as Fortnite requires simultaneous updates across all platforms to maintain consistency in gameplay and new content.
To stay on schedule, Epic resubmitted a fresh version of the app—with the necessary updates—on May 14. Just two days later, the company took to social media to announce that Apple had rejected the submission for the U.S. App Store and, furthermore, was now blocking the game from being released in the European Union as well.
“Unfortunately, Fortnite on iOS will remain offline globally until Apple lifts the block,” read a post from the official Fortnite account on Friday.
This incident marks another chapter in the ongoing standoff between the two companies, which has drawn widespread attention in the tech and gaming communities. Epic contends that Apple is continuing to limit competition, despite the courts requiring more open access for developers.
Apple, however, disputes Epic’s version of events. A company spokesperson clarified that Apple had requested Epic Sweden, the developer managing the submission, to resubmit the update with the U.S. App Store excluded. According to Apple, this approach was intended to prevent delays in other regions and was not an attempt to ban or remove the game from availability in European markets.
Apple also emphasized that it did not interfere with the current live version of Fortnite available through third-party distribution options in the EU, suggesting that Epic still has avenues to reach players—just not through the App Store in its current form.
As tensions escalate again between these tech giants, users are left in the middle—waiting to see when Fortnite will return to their iPhones.
