Fortnite’s return to iPhone and iPad has seen the sport storm to the highest of the App Store charts — at the very least within the U.S., the place Epic Video games’ battle royale is lastly out there as soon as once more.
The return of Fortnite to the iOS App Store this week follows a five-year hiatus, throughout which Epic Video games and Apple fought a prolonged authorized battle.
Fortnite was booted from the iPhone App Store worldwide again in 2020 after Epic Video games intentionally added its fee system into the sport that bypassed Apple’s ordinary 30% reduce. 5 years and greater than $1 billion of missed income later, Fortnite is lastly again — and its different fee system stays in place.
Greater than a day later, Fortnite continues to take a seat on the prime of the U.S. Top Free Games chart on the iOS App Store, forward of recent launch Recreation of Thrones: Kingsroad and different evergreen titles resembling Roblox, Conflict Royale, and Name of Responsibility Cell.
Apple had continued to withstand Fortnite’s return regardless of a U.S. choose in the end ruling this month that the iPhone large should permit different fee choices with out penalty.
Fortnite subsequently spent days in limbo as Epic Video games’ submission to return was initially ignored by Apple, then denied, prompting the prospect of a contemporary authorized tussle.
“We again fam,” Epic Video games boss Tim Sweeney wrote on social media this week as Apple, underneath additional stress to permit Fortnite’s return, lastly relented.
“Due to everybody who supported the hassle to open up cellular competitors and #FreeFortnite from the very starting,” he continued. “And because of all the people who initially sided with Apple then later got here round to the profitable facet, supporting app developer rights and client rights.”
Apple has not publicly commented on Fortnite’s return, and questions stay over what precisely will occur subsequent. The iPhone maker remains to be in search of to enchantment the U.S. choose’s resolution, and Fortnite stays unavailable from the App Store outdoors the U.S.
For now, nonetheless, Fortnite is again — and again on prime. W.
Tom Phillips is IGN’s Information Editor. You’ll be able to attain Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or discover him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social