Epic Games announced on Friday that its popular game “Fortnite” will be offline on Apple devices due to a dispute over an app update blocked by Apple. The company had recently submitted an updated version of the game, but Apple refused to allow it to go live.
The issue stems from a recent court ruling that limits the commissions Apple can collect from third-party apps distributed through its App Store. The ruling allows developers to earn more revenue and pass on the savings to customers.
Epic Games’ CEO Tim Sweeney had earlier stated that “Fortnite” would return to the App Store if Apple extended the court’s framework globally, but now says the game will remain offline worldwide until Apple unblocks it.
Apple has told Epic Games to resubmit the app update without including the US storefront of the App Store to avoid impacting Fortnite in other regions. The company maintains that it did not remove the live version of Fortnite from alternative distribution marketplaces.
The dispute highlights Apple’s efforts to maintain control over its ecosystem and prevent developers from benefiting globally from their wins. Epic Games had filed a lawsuit against Apple in 2020, seeking to allow users to buy digital goods outside the Apple system and avoid the company’s commission fee.
Source: https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/business/story/2025-05-16/epic-games-says-fornite-blocked-by-apple-in-u-s-app-store