It’s been over a year since Fortnite was banned from the Apple Store, but the wildly popular game could be coming back. Tim Sweeney, the CEO of Epic Games, hinted on Twitter that Fortnite could launch on Apple devices later this year. While this isn’t an official announcement, the game will likely be available on iOS and iPad.
When will Fortnite come back to iOS and Android? Latest Updates
There has been a lot of back and forth between Apple and Epic Games, and the ongoing lawsuits have made it difficult for Fortnite to return to the Apple Store. The conflict began in August 2022 when Apple revoked Epic’s Fortnite Developer account, blocking the distribution of the game on Apple devices because Epic tried to bypass the App Store’s payment mechanism. In response, Epic launched a “Free Fortnite” campaign against Apple.
In December, Sweeney continued to speak out against Apple’s policies, calling them anti-competitive. However, the judge ruled that Apple could no longer prevent developers from linking to external payment options. Although Epic was only successful on one of the 10 charges against Apple, the company still had to pay a fine for violating the contract. Apple has said it will only reinstate Epic’s Developer Program account once the district ruling is final, which could take up to five years.
There are reports that Apple is working on changes to its services and software to comply with regulations and allow third-party app stores to be used without going through the App Store. If these changes are implemented, Epic and Apple could finally find a way to bring Fortnite back to the App Store. It remains to be seen whether this will happen, but Fortnite fans are hoping for a resolution to the ongoing drama.