Fortnite Relaunched on Apple App Store After 5 Years Amid Epic Games Legal Battle
After nearly half a decade, Fortnite triumphantly returns to the Apple App Store in the United States. This popular game was previously removed in August 2020 following a controversial clash with Apple’s policies due to its own in-game payment system, bypassing Apple’s standard 30% fee on in-app transactions.
The removal sparked a fierce legal showdown between Epic Games, the renowned developer of Fortnite, and Apple. Epic Games argued the fee was excessively harsh and accused Apple of monopolistic control over the App Store. The conflict captured the attention of the tech and gaming industries, with widespread debates about digital marketplace fairness.
The exciting news of Fortnite’s comeback was shared by the developers, announcing its availability on the US App Store, Epic Games Store, and AltStore within the European Union. They also promised improvements to make the game more visible and searchable in the apps.
While Apple has typically cited user security as the core reason for its stringent rules, they have not publicly commented on the latest development. Nonetheless, this event marks a significant victory for Epic Games in the strenuous legal struggle against the tech giant. In light of this, Joost van Dreunen, an academic at NYU Stern, suggests that this may empower content creators and publishers to challenge entrenched business paradigms.
Prior to this, Fortnite faced global blocking across app platforms after an update block from Apple. However, the game staged a comeback on the European Union App Store in January, attributed to a newly enacted law promoting market competition. Similarly, Google, which removed the game in 2020 over the same payment conflict, rescinded its ban last year, permitting Fortnite’s return to its app ecosystem.
With a formidable community of approximately 400 million registered players, Fortnite’s reappearance on the Apple App Store is likely to stir excitement among its fans. The game’s enduring allure largely stems from the popular battle royale mode, where a hundred players compete to emerge as the sole survivor.
