Fortnite Is Back on iOS in the U.S. After 1,740 Days; Here’s Why It Took So Long
After 1,740 days, Fortnite is back on iOS in the U.S.—but Apple didn’t make it easy. Here’s why Epic’s battle took five years to resolve.
Image via Fortnite
After 1,740 days, Fortnite is finally back on the iOS App Store in the United States. The return marks the end of a five-year standoff between Epic Games and Apple but the fight to get here was anything but simple.
After all, just a few days ago we learned that Apple was intentionally ignoring Fortnite, revealed by none other than the CEO of Epic Games himself. Let’s get into it
Fortnite Apple Lawsuit
The game was originally removed in 2020 after Epic implemented a direct payment system to bypass Apple’s 30% commission cut. Apple retaliated by banning Fortnite, sparking a landmark lawsuit. In 2021, a judge ruled that Apple must allow developers to link to external payment systems—yet the game never returned. Why? The reason was more alarming than anyone thought
Apple Delayed On Purpose And How To Find Fortnite On IOS
Apple never rejected Fortnite's submission to the App Store, but has told Epic they will intentionally ignore it for now
— Shiina (@ShiinaBR) May 19, 2025
According to Tim Sweeney, they want to wait until June for a higher court's response, even though a judge already ordered them to comply. pic.twitter.com/tJPPAqQAGn
Even after Epic submitted the game for reapproval, Apple dragged its feet. On May 19, Epic CEO Tim Sweeney revealed that Apple told them they would “intentionally ignore” the submission while waiting for a possible higher court response—despite already being legally required to comply. Fans were shocked as despite court orders Apple wanted to wait till June for a higher court’s response?
It wasn’t until Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers stepped in again—demanding Apple either approve the app or return to court—that things changed. The result? Fortnite was reinstated on May 20. Yet, despite this news, another problem arose
Players can’t find Fortnite on IOS easily. And that is on purpose. Apple didn’t make this easy because they didn’t do it willingly. If players want to find the app then they will have to scroll down, for the app to appear. Fortnite’s return is a win for Epic and developers everywhere—but the battle over platform control is far from over.
Written By: Sarah Dar (Writing Intern, India Today Gaming)
