Apple Says Fortnite for iOS Isn't Blocked Worldwide, Just the U.S.

[MacRumors]

Apple today clarified that it has not blocked Epic Games from updating the iOS Fortnite app in the European Union, but it is not planning to allow Epic Games to offer Fortnite in the United States App Store at the current time.

In a statement to Bloomberg, Apple said that Epic Games tied its U.S. App Store submission to the update that was also being submitted to the Epic Games Store for iOS in the European Union. Apple told Epic Games to resubmit the update without the U.S. component.

We asked that Epic Sweden resubmit the app update without including the US storefront of the App Store so as not to impact Fortnite in other geographies. We did not take any action to remove the live version of Fortnite from alternative distribution marketplaces in the EC.

This morning, Epic Games claimed that Apple blocked its Fortnite submission worldwide. "Apple 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," Epic Games said. The company went on to claim that Fortnite on iOS will be "offline worldwide until Apple unblocks it."

Given Apple's clarification, it sounds like Epic Games has decided to take Fortnite offline in the European Union rather than submitting an update that does not include Fortnite for the U.S. App Store. By tying the updates together and suggesting Apple is denying Fortnite's distribution worldwide, Epic Games could rally lawmakers and customers to push back at Apple's attempt to "block" Fortnite in the U.S.

Fortnite gets weekly updates, and the updates need to go out for all platforms at the same time. Apple didn't remove Fortnite from the iOS Epic Games Store in the European Union, but by denying the Fortnite submission, the EU version of the game won't get the update on time. Epic Games could remove the U.S. App Store version of Fortnite from its app submission in order to update the EU version and keep it functional, but it's not yet clear if Epic plans to do so.

Fortnite has been banned from the U.S. App Store since 2020, and Epic Games does not have a valid U.S. developer account. Last year, to distribute Fortnite in the European Union using an alternative app marketplace, Epic Games created a subsidiary, Epic Games Sweden. Because Epic Games has no U.S. developer account, the company used Epic Games Sweden to submit Fortnite to the U.S. App Store.

In the Epic Games vs. Apple lawsuit, Apple was at no point forced to allow Fortnite back in the App Store, and it was made clear that Apple does not have an obligation to distribute Fortnite.

Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney said ahead of Apple's decision that he would be "very surprised" if Apple "decided to brave the geopolitical storm of blocking a major app from iOS," but the reality is that Fortnite hasn't been available through the iPhone and iPad App Store for the last five years.

Apple was recently ordered to change its App Store rules to allow developers to direct customers to purchase options outside of the App Store in the U.S., which is why Epic Games thought it would be able to bring Fortnite back to the U.S. App Store, but Apple is upholding the ban. There is nothing in the order that changes the situation with Fortnite.

Article Link: Apple Says Fortnite for iOS Isn't Blocked Worldwide, Just the U.S.

 

[Timpetus]

Now who’s maliciously complying?

 

[WiseAJ]

Exactly like I thought. Epic fail trying more publicity stunts.

 

[firstcitazen]

and the world will be a better place for a short time. Could use more wins like this!

 

[b0nd18t]

Oh this is getting good lol. I’m team Epic here. How on earth is more choice a bad thing for the consumer?

 

[svish]

Seems like it can be back if Epic wants. Will be interesting to see what happens now.

 

[LawJolla]

Can I cheer for both of them to lose?

 

[AngusW]

The more this goes on both parties are showing their pettiness. If Apple just made a simple statement to end it all things would go so much easier. "Pending litigation at the time we will no entertain any submissions from Epic Games or any of subsidiaries for the U.S AppStore."

 

[AppleTO]

Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney said ahead of Apple's decision that he would be "very surprised" if Apple "decided to brave the geopolitical storm of blocking a major app from iOS,"

The world’s most valuable brand couldn't care less about a maliciously acting developer? Big surprise.

 

[nfl46]

This is like an everlasting baby momma and baby daddy drama. Sigh.

 

[Urban Splash]

iOS should welcome popular games…. Not exactly its strong suit.

 

[Cameront9]

The more this goes on both parties are showing their pettiness. If Apple just made a simple statement to end it all things would go so much easier. "Pending litigation at the time we will no entertain any submissions from Epic Games or any of subsidiaries for the U.S AppStore."

There’s no pending litigation. The appeal does not impact the judges ruling that Apple is well within their rights to band Epic from epic.

 

[GizmoDVD]

Oh this is getting good lol. I’m team Epic here. How on earth is more choice a bad thing for the consumer?

your team break all the rules, get banned and try to come back with a glued on mustache claiming to be a different person?

 

[Timpetus]

iOS should welcome popular games…. Not exactly its strong suit.

At the cost of its monetization model? Nah, that makes no sense for Apple.

 

[surferfb]

I am shocked, I tell you, shocked, that Epic wasn’t being entirely forthright when it said Apple kicked Fortnite off of the EU store.

 

[Jashar7]

Seems like it can be back if Epic wants. Will be interesting to see what happens now.

I wouldn’t necessarily use the “will be interesting to see what happens now” for Fortnite, like seriously I don’t know a single person nor have I seen someone that cares about this thing.

 

[AppleTO]

All this Epic nonsense if probably what Apple’s legal team is dealing with at lunchtime, while the more important concern is the Apple and Google antitrust.

 

[I7guy]

That’s a sleazy maneuver.

 

[aidler]

I guess that clarification was necessary for legal reasons. Changes nothing for consumers.

 

[iObama]

"decided to brave the geopolitical storm of blocking a major app from iOS"

that's the sentence that determined the outcome of this whole thing lol

 

[techno-Zen]

Apple WTF are you guys even doing in 2025?

 

[I7guy]

All this Epic nonsense if probably what Apple’s legal team is dealing with at lunchtime, while the more important concern is the Apple and Google antitrust.

To be fair all that stuff is probably on the lunchtime menu.

 

[mattopotamus]

It's pretty funny how Epic won, but since they violated terms of service Apple has decided to not allow them in their store. Nothing Epic can actually do about that.

 

[waydabber]

Apple’s rigidity is absurd. With U.S. and EU regulators clearly pushing for openness, Apple should embrace flexibility and foresight, learning from Microsoft’s antitrust battles two decades ago. Pettiness won’t serve them well; they should demonstrate cooperation. Meanwhile, Epic’s approach is equally frustrating. They shouldn’t conflate EU and U.S. issues or disrupt service for EU users. Moreover, there’s no excuse for not releasing a proper macOS version of Fortnite—Epic has the EU developer account, and the Epic Store already runs on macOS. Apple Silicon could handle Fortnite flawlessly, yet Epic seems to be making a point rather than acting in users’ interests. Both companies’ stubbornness is exasperating.

 

[AppleFan91]

Apple WTF are you guys even doing in 2025?

Not letting a company whose US developer account was removed for blatant ToS violations, and is now trying to use their Swedish account in an attempt to “ban-dodge”, it would seem.

Apple has no problem approving all other apps from Devs that had valid developer accounts, even with the payment process circumventing the App Store (Patreon, Spotify, etc.) - it’s just epic that has a banned US developer account, so it’s just epic not getting their updated app approved.