Alleged Apple blockade: Fortnite on iPhones goes global “offline”

For now it was again with Fortnite on the iPhone: Since Friday, the iOS version of the game “offline” has been worldwide, as Epic Games said. Apple had blocked the recently submitted update and therefore one could now publish it in the Epic Games Store in the EU nor in the US app store. This will last so long, “until Apple blocked it”, Commented the game company Knapp.

The never -ending dispute between Epic and Apple

It is the latest turn of the dispute between Epic Games and Apple that has been going on for years. After an order in the United States forces to allow links to apps, Epic Games Fortnite also wanted to bring back to the app store there. Apple had ignored the submitted update for many days, scolded Epic founder Tim Sweeney several times-and at the same time made fun of the fact that Apple had obviously left fraudulent Fortnite clones in the app store.

Five years ago, Epic provoked the expulsion from the App Store (and Google Play Store) with the fact that Fortnite secretly integrated direct purchase links-in addition to Apple’s prescribed in-app purchase interface. The direct purchases were also cheaper because Apple did not estimate a commission for this “forbidden” path. The iPhone group punished the clear break of the Apple developer comprehension with the expulsion of Fortnite from the App Store. At the same time, Apple also threw EPIC out of the DEV program-and thus practically from the platform. Then Epic moved to court.

A lot of drama also about Epics developer access at Apple

The digital markets act in the meantime was forced to let alternative app stores in the EU on the iPhone. This also used Epic to launch his Epic Games Store here. However, a new Apple DEV account was required, which Apple also also rejected, but then-apparently under pressure from the EU Commission-had to allow. An Epic subsidiary operates the account in Sweden. Via this account, Epic Games now also wanted to bring Fortnite back to the US app store, which at Apple obviously bumped into little love. Apple has not yet commented on the matter.