Fortnite Finally Returns to Apple App Store Worldwide

Popular game Fortnite has brought good news for iPhone users worldwide, as the battle royale title is finally returning to Apple’s App Store globally after overcoming a long legal battle. However, although the game is being made available worldwide, iPhone users in Australia will not be able to play it immediately.

Fortnite was banned from the App Store in 2020 following a nearly five-year legal dispute between Epic Games and Apple. After returning to the United States market last year, the game is now becoming downloadable on iOS devices worldwide.

Battle Over Apple’s Fees After Google

Epic Games believes that the US federal court will eventually force Apple to disclose the actual operational costs behind its App Store fees. Epic argues that if Apple is compelled to reveal its real expenses, no government in the world will continue to accept what it describes as Apple’s excessive and “unreasonable fees.”

However, Fortnite’s return is not only a legal victory but also crucial for the game’s own survival. In March this year, Epic Games announced layoffs affecting nearly one-quarter of its total workforce. In addition, several popular game modes — including Fortnite Ballistic and Festival Battle Stage — have already been shut down, while the Rocket Racing mode is also scheduled to be discontinued from next October.

Tim Sweeney, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Epic Games, believes that one of the major reasons behind the global decline in the game’s player base was its prolonged absence from mobile platforms.

He said, “The process of bringing Fortnite back to mobile platforms is still at an early stage. We are continuing to improve the game for hundreds of millions of smartphone users worldwide.”

Why Australia Was Excluded

According to Epic Games, the reason the game has not yet returned to the Australian market is that Apple continues to enforce certain terms and conditions there that Epic considers completely illegal.

In a statement, Epic said that despite Australian courts declaring several of Apple’s developer terms unlawful, Apple is still imposing them forcibly. To stop these allegedly illegal activities and protect the interests of general app developers and iOS users, Epic Games has once again sought an emergency court order in Australia.

DBTech/BMT/OR