Fortnite Faces Fresh Setback in iOS Comeback Battle

Bad news for Fotnite enthusiasts. The ongoing standoff between Epic Games and Apple shows no signs of resolution, and once again, players are caught in the crossfire. Just when it seemed like the popular battle royale might finally return to the iOS App Store—especially after a recent court ruling and public statements from Epic CEO Tim Sweeney—a new twist has thrown those hopes into limbo.

Initially, Sweeney announced that Epic would be using its Swedish Apple developer account, created last year, to submit Fortnite to the U.S. App Store. However, he later revealed that Apple had requested the game be resubmitted, citing delays that stemmed from Apple’s side. The need for a fresh submission arose because the game had received updates in the interim—changes Epic wants to keep consistent across all platforms.

Fortnite Blocked Again as Apple Halts iOS and EU Store Launch Plans

Things have now taken a sharp turn. According to a recent tweet from the official Fortnite account, Apple has outright blocked the game’s submission to the U.S. App Store. On top of that, Epic has also been barred from launching Fortnite on the Epic Games Store for iOS in the European Union, a move that was previously seen as a workaround under the EU’s new digital rules.

As a result, the game remains unavailable on iOS across all regions—a major blow to both fans and Epic’s ambitions to bypass traditional storefront restrictions.

Apple has since responded. As reported by Mark Gurman of Bloomberg, the company claimed that they merely asked Epic Sweden to exclude the U.S. region from the submission to avoid potential service disruptions elsewhere. They also stressed that Fortnite has not been removed from any other “alternative distribution marketplaces.”

Despite the tech giant’s clarification, the end result is clear: Fortnite’s return to iOS is once again on indefinite hold, leaving millions of mobile players in the dark—again.