[Updated] Epic Games Says Apple is Blocking is Fortnite App Store Submission

Fortnite is not coming back to the App Store this week, as developer Epic Games has been hoping. After a US court order on April 30 forbade Apple from taking a commission on external purchases, Epic Games submitted Fortnite for review on May 9, but the company is now saying that Apple is blocking the game’s comeback on the US App Store.

Unfortunately, the situation has also forced Epic Games to take the version of Fortnite that’s available on the Epic Games Store in the EU offline. “Apple has blocked our Fortnite submission so we cannot release to the US App Store or to the Epic Games Store for iOS in the European Union. Now, sadly, Fortnite on iOS will be offline worldwide until Apple unblocks it,” the company posted on X.

Apple has blocked our Fortnite submission so we cannot release to the US App Store or to the Epic Games Store for iOS in the European Union. Now, sadly, Fortnite on iOS will be offline worldwide until Apple unblocks it.

— Fortnite (@Fortnite) May 16, 2025

In a previous post on X, Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney explained that the company had pulled the initial Fortnite version submitted to Apple App Review on May 9 and submitted a new version of the game for review. “We need to release a weekly Fortnite update with new content this Friday, and all platforms must update simultaneously,” the CEO explained.

We don’t have an update on our Fortnite submission to the App Store. Apple has neither accepted nor rejected it. So the Friday update to Fortnite is now in jeopardy.

— Tim Sweeney (@TimSweeneyEpic) May 15, 2025

It’s still not exactly clear why Apple not approving Fortnite on the US App Store is impacting the Epic Games Store version of the game for EU users. Still, Sweeney pointed out Apple’s hypocrisy as the company did approve an ad-filled Fortnite copycat on its App Store. The game was eventually removed after the Epic Games CEO publicly complained about it.

Update: Apple has taken down Fort Battle Royale Epic Shoot. Players looking for a fake adware version of Fortnite on the App Store should instead try Epic Survival Battle Royale 3D Clash Squad Battle Royale 3D, approved by Apple. https://t.co/FfKD0jYYpS pic.twitter.com/rYGeXH5WId

— Tim Sweeney (@TimSweeneyEpic) May 15, 2025

“Apple’s App Review team should be free to review all submitted apps promptly and accept or reject according to the plain language of their guidelines. App Review shouldn’t be weaponized by senior management as a tool to delay or obstruct competition, due process, or free speech,” Sweeney also posted earlier today. Nearly five years after Apple removed Fortnite from its App Store due to a new payment system that bypassed the company’s 30% cut on in-app purchases, it looks like Apple is in no hurry to do what’s right and respect the court’s order.

Update 10:45 AM PT: In a statement shared with Bloomberg, an Apple spokesperson said that the company “did not take any action to remove the live version of Fortnite from alternative distribution marketplaces” in the EU. However, the company’s representative said that Apple asked Epic Sweden, the European division of Epic Games that submitted Fortnite to the US App Store to “resubmit the app update without including the US storefront of the App Store so as not to impact Fortnite in other geographies.”