The publisher of the extremely popular online game Fortnite says that Apple rejected his submission of the game to the IOS App Store.
In a post on x Friday, Epic Games said: “Apple blocked our submission as Fortnite so that we cannot release the American App Store or to the Epic Games store for iOS in the European Union. Now, unfortunately, Fortnite on iOS will be offline in the world until the unlocking.”
The blocking of the game on iOS is the last development of a legal saga between the game publisher and the largest technological company in the world on application shop costs. Recently, a judge ruled that Apple ignored an injunction of 2021 which prohibited it from blocking access to external links for subscriptions and purchases integrated into mobile applications. This decision has led to a collective appeal and enabled publishers, in particular Epic and Spotify, to submit applications with means for users to access subscriptions and purchases without paying via the App Store, where Apple takes a reduction.
The game was to return to the iOS App Store this month, but the apparent rejection means that it should not happen soon.
The scanning of a QR code to access the game on an iPhone brings users to a web page that is currently reading: “The Epic game store on iPhone is only available for European Union customers.”
Apple answers, in a way
In a response to CNET and other points of sale, Apple denied removing Fortnite from “alternative distribution markets”, an allegation of Epic Games has not done. Apple's complete declaration said: “We asked that Epic Sweden subjects the application to update without including the American display of the App Store so as not to have a strong impact in other geographies. We have taken no measures to remove the live version of Fortnite from alternative distribution markets.”
Apple has not developed Fortnite's submission status for the American App Store.
Due to regulatory differences and legal decisions in the EU, Epic was able to publish its Epic game store for iOS in this region, and players could download Fortnite via this application. Because the update of Fortnite must be applied to iOS in all areas, this is no longer the case.
Effects on ecosystem
The absence of Fortnite of the Apple window affects not only the players and the epic, but also the creators who contribute to the platform, explains a designer.
“It's colossal for the economy of the emerging platform. There are so many players on mobile. It cannot be underestimated,” said Alex Seropian, co-founder of the Bungie games company that is now Look at the northern worldWho creates and publishes game content for platforms like Fortnite. Watch North World A been behind Fortnite creations Including Hasbro's Connect Four and Tower of Heck.
“If you look at Roblox, the mobile is more than half of the place where their audience plays,” said Seropian. “At the moment, Fortnite simply does not have that, so let's go back to iOS is a huge matter for many reasons. There is a huge change in distribution of a retail economy to a platform economy. Gen-Z and Gen-Alpha want the fastest access and the most social experience. They are waiting for us to meet them where they are on the mobile.”
He hopes Epic and Apple resolve the situation for the benefit of players, studios and creators. Currently, Seropian said that creators who have platform ideas like Fortnite are in a model of detention given the situation with Apple.
“We see what I call the sandwich for the confusion of excitement,” he said. “They are delighted to have mobile experiences, especially since many have ever done it before, and they have a ton of incredible ideas. But they are confused at the moment when people can play these creations and what this new chapter of Fortnite will look like.
“So we all rush and wait. But I think the wait will be worth it,” said Seropian.
