(WDNews) – Fortnite has officially returned to the Apple App Store in the United States after being banned for almost five years. The popular online multiplayer game, developed by Epic Games, became available again on Tuesday May 20th. The move marks a major moment for both Epic Games and mobile gamers who had been waiting for the game’s return to iPhones and iPads.
The ban began in 2020 after a legal dispute between Epic and Apple over in-app payment systems. Epic introduced a direct payment option in Fortnite that bypassed Apple’s App Store fees, leading Apple to remove the game from its platform. The legal battle drew widespread attention and sparked debates about how much control app store owners should have over developers.
In 2023, Apple allowed Fortnite back onto devices in the European Union following pressure from regulators. However, it remained unavailable in the U.S. until now.
Fortnite originally launched in 2017 and quickly became a global sensation, especially for its last-player-standing “battle royale” mode. At the time it was removed, the game had over 116 million users on Apple devices.
Fortnite is also currently available in the EU through the Epic Games Store and AltStore, according to a recent post on social media platform X.
