Fortnite fans hoping to jump back into the action on iPhones or iPads are out of luck, again.
Epic Games has confirmed that Apple has blocked the game from being released on iOS, effectively making Fortnite unavailable on iPhones and iPads worldwide.
The move comes just as Fortnite had made a limited comeback in the European Union through the Epic Games Store, made possible by new regulations under the Digital Markets Act (DMA). But now, Epic says Apple has shut it all down, citing a rejection of their submission to both the U.S. App Store and the EU version of the Epic Games Store.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the official Fortnite account didn’t hold back:
“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.”
This isn’t the first time the two tech giants have clashed. Epic and Apple have been at legal war over the App Store’s 30% commission on in-app purchases since 2020. Epic challenged that system by trying to bypass Apple’s payment setup, leading to Fortnite’s removal from the App Store and a lengthy court battle.
Recently, a U.S. court ruled that Apple must allow developers to offer alternative payment options. Apple technically complied, but added a catch: any transaction made outside the App Store would still face a 27% fee.
That decision didn’t sit well with the court. In a scathing opinion, the judge accused Apple of trying to sidestep the ruling. The court called the 27% fee “an obvious cover-up” and said Apple’s behavior “strains credulity,” making it clear that the tech giant was still engaging in anticompetitive conduct to protect its revenue.
Now Epic is caught in the middle again. After being forced to pull its submission and reapply, Fortnite still didn’t get approved. Apple hasn’t publicly clarified why the submission was blocked, but Epic is pointing to ongoing resistance to third-party stores on iOS as the root issue.
So what’s next for Fortnite on iOS? For now, the game remains offline on Apple devices, with no clear timeline for its return. If you want to play Fortnite on mobile, options are currently limited to Android or cloud gaming platforms.
Epic’s battle with Apple highlights the growing pressure on tech giants to open up their platforms. And while new regulations in the EU are trying to force that change, Apple’s latest move shows the fight is far from over.
Whether Fortnite will ever find a permanent home again on iOS is anyone’s guess. But one thing is clear, this fight isn’t just about one game. It’s about who gets to control the future of mobile platforms.
