After years of legal disputes and platform bans, Fortnite is finally poised to make a comeback on the iPhone in the United States. The announcement follows a pivotal court ruling and a clever workaround by Epic Games, the developer behind Fortnite, that allows the popular game to bypass previous restrictions.
Epic Games sidesteps restrictions using EU developer account
The key to Fortnite’s return lies in Epic’s decision to submit the game using its Swedish developer account, originally created to comply with the European Union’s Digital Markets Act. This account had been approved last year for launching the Epic Games Store and Fortnite in Europe. After a recent U.S. judge ruled that Apple must allow third-party payment links in apps with zero commission, Epic saw an opening.
Although the court’s order didn’t specifically address Epic or Fortnite, CEO Tim Sweeney confirmed that Apple has agreed to accept the Swedish account for submission to the U.S. App Store. This move avoids the hurdle of Epic’s U.S. developer account, which had been terminated in 2020 following the high-profile legal battle with Apple.
Fortnite could be back on iOS devices within days
With the major barrier now resolved, Epic is preparing to submit Fortnite for App Review in the coming days. If the process moves swiftly, iPhone and iPad users in the U.S. could be playing Fortnite again before the weekend. This would mark a significant shift in the long-standing standoff between Apple and Epic Games, potentially opening the door to other third-party apps using similar tactics.