After a five-year absence, the online multiplayer game Fortnite is finally back on the US App Store, following a prolonged legal battle with Apple. Early on Wednesday, Fortnite announced that its app could now be downloaded from the Apple App Store on iPhones and iPads in the US. Furthermore, the game will be available to download from the Epic Games Store and AltStore in the European Union.
Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney while reacting to Fortnite making a comeback on US App Store wrote on X (formerly Twitter), “Thanks to everyone who supported the effort to open up mobile competition and #FreeFortnite from the very beginning. 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.”
Fortnite made its way back to the App Store after US District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers told Apple to approve the app submission from Epic Games or face returning to court to explain the legal basis for not doing so.
Notably, Gonzalez Rogers, in an 80-page ruling last week, stated that Apple cannot restrict developers from adding links or buttons directing users to make external payments and that the company cannot impose a fee or commission on these payments.
Following the ruling, Apple updated its App Store guidelines, stating that, although it strongly disagrees with the court order, it will comply with it and also file an appeal.
Since then, Apple has also approved an updated app from Spotify, the audio streaming giant, with external payment links for purchasing subscriptions. However, when Epic Games resubmitted the Fortnite app to the US App Store, Apple informed the company that it would not take any action on its application until after a court hears an appeal for a partial injunction on the new order.
To download the Fortnite app on iPhones and iPads, users can simply head to the App Store and search for the popular game. However, given that Fortnite was only approved for the App Store a few hours ago, it may not be visible to all users just yet.
