Epic Games Submits Fortnite to U.S. App Store

As promised, Epic Games today submitted Fortnite to the U.S. App Store, and if approved by Apple, it will mark the first time that the Fortnite app has been available in the United States since 2020.

fortnite apple featured
Fortnite will include options to purchase in-app currency from the web rather than through in-app purchase, which is what got the game banned to begin with. This time, though, Apple has been ordered to allow all developers, including ‌Epic Games‌, to direct customers to purchase options that are available outside of the ‌App Store‌.

‌Epic Games‌' U.S. developer account has been banned since the initial Apple vs. ‌Epic Games‌ battle in 2020, so ‌Epic Games‌ is using the developer account that it established in Sweden to submit Fortnite to the ‌App Store‌. ‌Epic Games‌ created a Swedish ‌App Store‌ account last year in order to create an ‌Epic Games‌ app marketplace in the European Union, as allowed by the Digital Markets Act.

‌Epic Games‌ CEO Tim Sweeney said that the company has "conversed" with Apple about the plan, and that Apple is aware that ‌Epic Games‌ is submitting Fortnite using the ‌Epic Games‌ Sweden subsidiary that it established for the EU. Sweeney has not confirmed whether Apple said that's okay, and it's not clear if Apple will approve the ‌App Store‌ submission. In an interview this week, Sweeney said he would be "very surprised" if Apple "decided to brave the geopolitical storm of blocking a major app from iOS."

When ‌Epic Games‌ first made a new developer account in the EU, Apple shut it down due to Epic's pattern of untrustworthy behavior. ‌Epic Games‌ complained to EU regulators, and regulators in turn started questioning Apple. At that point, Apple decided to reinstate the account after ‌Epic Games‌ pledged to follow the alternative marketplace rules.

During the Apple vs. ‌Epic Games‌ legal battle, Apple was at no point ordered to allow Fortnite to return to the ‌App Store‌, and the case in fact suggested that Apple was well within its rights to terminate Epic's account, and under no obligation to allow Fortnite in the ‌App Store‌ at all.

It's possible Apple will not allow ‌Epic Games‌ to use its European developer account to submit Fortnite given that the U.S. account is still banned, but Apple might not want to further anger the judge overseeing the case. Apple has also already approved external purchase links in Spotify, Kindle, Patreon, and other apps.

As of now, Apple is required to allow developers to add links and buttons to their apps directing customers to digital purchase options available outside of the ‌App Store‌, and more importantly, Apple is not allowed to collect a commission on these purchases.

Apple has filed an emergency motion with the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to pause the "extraordinary" ruling that it argues requires it to give up "core aspects of its business operations." Apple has specifically asked the appeals court to allow it to charge fees for purchases made using external links while the appeals process is playing out, with the company also requesting control over how those links are displayed.

Apple asked the appeals court to issue a ruling by May 28, but until Apple hears back, the ‌App Store‌ link changes that are in place will stand.

Popular Stories

Apple CarPlay Ultra instrument cluster themes 01

Apple's CarPlay Ultra Is Here – Does Your iPhone Support It?

Thursday May 15, 2025 5:17 am PDT by
Apple's recently announced CarPlay Ultra promises a deeply integrated in-car experience, but not all iPhone users will be able to take advantage of the new feature. According to Apple's press release, CarPlay Ultra requires an iPhone 12 or later running iOS 18.5 or later. This means if you're using an iPhone 11, iPhone XR, or any older model, you'll need to upgrade your device to access...
Apple CarPlay Ultra instrument cluster themes 01

Apple's 'CarPlay Ultra' Experience Now Available

Thursday May 15, 2025 5:07 am PDT by
Apple today announced that its next-generation CarPlay experience, now dubbed "CarPlay Ultra" begins rolling out today, starting with Aston Martin vehicles. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. CarPlay Ultra is now available with new Aston Martin vehicle orders in the U.S. and Canada. It will also be available for existing models that feature the brand's next-generation ...
CarPlay Ultra Climate Controls

Apple Says These Vehicle Brands Plan to Offer All-New CarPlay Ultra

Thursday May 15, 2025 8:13 am PDT by
Apple today announced the launch of CarPlay Ultra, the long-awaited next-generation version of its CarPlay software system for vehicles. CarPlay Ultra features deep integration with a vehicle's instrument cluster and systems, built-in Radio and Climate apps, customizable widgets, and more. The interface is tailored to each vehicle model and automaker's identity, and drivers can also adjust...
vision pro video recording

WSJ: Some Apple Vision Pro Buyers 'Feel Total Regret'

Friday May 16, 2025 7:43 am PDT by
Apple's Vision Pro headset has left many early adopters expressing dissatisfaction over its weight, limited use cases, and sparse software ecosystem, according to a new article from The Wall Street Journal. In the year following the device's launch, user feedback suggests that it has failed to meet expectations for comfort, software support, and social acceptance. In interviews conducted by T...
iPhone 17 Air Pastel Feature

iPhone 17 Air Could Debut Advanced Silicon Battery Tech

Friday May 16, 2025 8:00 am PDT by
The upcoming all-new ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air could become the first Apple smartphone to adopt advanced battery technology, with Japanese supplier TDK preparing to ship its new generation of silicon-anode batteries by the end of June. According to DigiTimes, TDK CEO Noboru Saito revealed in a recent interview that the Apple supplier has accelerated its production timeline, moving shipments...
iPhone 17 Air Pastel Feature

iPhone 17 Air Battery Capacity and Weight Allegedly Revealed

Monday May 19, 2025 2:22 am PDT by
Apple is expected to launch an all-new ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air later this year, and while there have been plenty of rumors about the camera's overall design and thinness, we haven't heard any details about the device's weight and battery capacity until now. According to the leaker going by the account name "yeux1122" on the Korean-langauge Naver blog, the 6.6-inch iPhone 17 Air has a weight ...

Top Rated Comments

Onelifenofear Avatar
1 week ago
They were banned for a reason. They should stay banned.
Score: 44 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Jameseh Avatar
1 week ago
Make it 18+ for gambling elements.
Score: 24 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DelayedGratificationGene Avatar
1 week ago
I don’t think Apple will be approving Low Life Sweeney. They don’t want back a CEO who manipulates kids to get them to empty their wallets.
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
verdi1987 Avatar
1 week ago

So Epic expects Apple to distribute the game for free?
No, like all developers, they would have paid the annual developer fee.

Apple makes it clear the fee includes app distribution: https://developer.apple.com/support/compare-memberships
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jz0309 Avatar
1 week ago
IF Apple allows the app then they will have no chance to win that appeal imho, so my guess is: not happening
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
I7guy Avatar
1 week ago
This will be interesting. I’m sure apples expensive lawyers are running on overtime.:)
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)