Fortnite returns to US App Store after nearly five years

Epic Games' Fortnite has returned to the iOS App Store in the US after nearly five years of legal battles with Apple. 

It comes swiftly after a US judge asked the iPhone giant why it felt it had the legal authority to ignore the court’s order to offer linkouts to alternative payments in Fortnite.

The intervention appears to have been enough to force Apple’s hand to allow Fortnite back on the marketplace.

Shortly after Fortnite returned to the App Store on Tuesday, Epic and Apple filed a joint notice stating they had "resolved all issues" related to Epic's May 16th filing.

“Thanks to everyone who supported the effort to open up mobile competition and free Fortnite from the very beginning," said Epic Games CEO and founder Tim Sweeney in a post. 

“And thanks to all of the folks who initially sided with Apple then later came around to the winning side, supporting app developer rights and consumer rights." 

Resolving the long dispute

Apple removed Fortnite from the App Store in 2020 for violating App Store rules by adding its own payment system.

Nearly five years later, a major court ruling in Epic Games vs. Apple forced the iPhone company to allow linkouts to alternative payment systems and prevent it from anti-steering measures.

The ruling included a scathing assessment of Apple’s “anticompetitive” actions and accusations that one of its executives had lied under oath, sparking potential criminal contempt proceedings. 

After the decision, Sweeney shared plans to bring Fortnite back and offered to end litigation if Apple adopted the new framework globally. Epic submitted the app on May 9th using its Sweden developer account.

Shortly after submission, Epic reported that Apple had blocked Fortnite’s return to the App Store.

Apple responded, stating it had only requested that Epic Sweden resubmit the app without including the US storefront to avoid affecting availability in other regions. Epic then asked the judge in its case against Apple to intervene on May 16th. 

The judge responded that Apple could resolve the issue without further proceedings but warned that if not resolved, an Apple official responsible for compliance would need to appear at a hearing the following Tuesday. Both companies have now settled, though Apple is still appealing the previous ruling.