Fortnite down: App is unavailable for Apple iOS users
FILE-The Epic Games Inc. Fortnite: Battle Royale video game is seen in the App Store on an Apple Inc. iPhone displayed for a photograph in Washington, D.C. (Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Fortnite is unavailable on Apple's iOS globally because the company stopped a bid to rerelease the popular video game for iPhone users in the U.S. and Europe.
Epic Games, which owns Fortnite wrote on X, Friday arguing that Apple's move would now prevent the game's iOS availability around the world.
Why did Apple decide not to release Fortnite in its iPhone app?
The backstory:
Fortnite’s removal from the iPhone app store by Apple is part of an ongoing feud between the tech giant and Epic Games, which owns Fortnite.
In 2020, Apple pulled Fortnite from its app store and Epic filed an antitrust lawsuit against the organization in the U.S., claiming that Apple was illegally using its power to overcharge game makers.
RELATED: Fortnite developer agrees to pay $520M fine for privacy violations
A judge ruled in 2021 against Epic’s allegations against Apple, but ordered Apple to loosen its exclusive control over the payments made for in-app transactions and permit links to alternative options in the U.S.
Last year, Apple rolled out a new system for links to alternative payment choices while still enforcing a 27% commission on in-app transactions.
However, Epic Games accused Apple of not respecting the legal system resulting in more court hearings which led to a judge in contempt and banning the tech company from collecting commission on alternative payment systems. And this ruling cleared a path for Epic Games to return to the iPhone app store in the U.S.
RELATED: Justice Department sues Apple in antitrust suit over monopoly on smartphones
Apple releases statement on Fortnite
What they're saying:
The Associated Press obtained a statement from Apple with the tech company arguing that it asked Epic Sweden to resubmit the app update "without including the U.S. storefront of the App Store so as not to impact Fortnite in other geographies." Apple concluded that, it "did not take any action to remove the live version of Fortnite from alternative distribution marketplaces."
Is there another way to access Fortnite?
Dig deeper:
Fortnite's availability in the EU is under a different store for iPhone users called the Epic Games Store. This means Fortnite and other Epic games are available for download on iPhones using this store in the EU.
The Source: Information for this story was provided by the Associated Press, which cites a social media post from Epic Games and offers background on the tension between Apple and Epic Games through the years. This story was reported from Washington, D.C.