Nearly five years after it vanished off the world’s biggest app stores, Fortnite has returned to iOS—and a massive chunk of its audience.
Fortnite was originally taken off the App Store and Google Play in 2020 after Apple caught Epic Games trying to circumvent the App Store’s in-app payment with its own, which takes a 30% cut of all sales. Fortnite launched a massive anti-Apple campaign in the wake of this, including a now-iconic “Nineteen Eighty-Fortnite” trailer that parodied the already-iconic “1984” Apple commercial.
The situation went to court, where Epic accused Apple and Google of having monopolies over the mobile app marketplace, and Apple even attempted to counter-sue. Epic eventually won its biggest claim regarding Apple’s monopoly. (In Europe, Fortnite had already returned in January 2024 due to anti-monopoly legislation amounting to much of the same conclusion.)
In the wake of this ruling, Epic already doubled down on its independent transaction systems, announcing a “webstore” feature for developers who are utilizing the Epic Games Store.
This development means that Fortnite on iOS probably just straight-up jumps from Chapter 2: Season Three to Chapter 6: Season 3. Whewph. For those willing to make that jump, there’s a new Burnoff Outfit available to those who log in on Android or iOS.
To celebrate Fortnite’s return to the App Store in the U.S., how ‘bout a ??hot?? new Outfit?!Log into the Fortnite app on Android or iOS from any region before June 17 and unlock the Burnoff Outfit!?? https://t.co/AgQZOlm7RC pic.twitter.com/ZbFReD6PG4
— Fortnite (@Fortnite) May 23, 2025
