Fortnite Drops Back On The App Store After Apple Removed It Five Years Ago

Apple has reinstated Fortnite to the U.S. App Store, five years after the the free-to-play battle royale first-person shooter was removed.

In 2020, Epic Games bypassed Apple’s payment system, which takes a cut of up to 30%, by implementing direct payments. That’s why the game got the boot. This sparked a legal battle that resulted in a court ruling just last month which limited Apple’s control over external payment links within apps. Epic resubmitted Fortnite to the App Store on May 9, but Apple delayed approval until a judge intervened on Monday, demanding Apple either approve the app or explain the holdup.

Fortnite is BACK on the App Store in the U.S. on iPhones and iPads... and on the Epic Games Store and AltStore in the E.U! It’ll show up in Search soon!

Get Fortnite on the App Store in the U.S. ➡️ https://t.co/HQu3pYCXFm pic.twitter.com/w74QPFFkOS

— Fortnite (@Fortnite) May 20, 2025

Epic CEO Tim Sweeney told Business Insider that Fornite being away from the App Store for the past five years cost his company over $1 billion. That’s just in missed earnings, apparently. He says it was worth it though. 

Apple is now appealing the court’s decision and seeking to pause the changes it was forced to make. The company has yet to comment on the Fortnite decision. In the meantime however, as of yesterday, the game is back on the App Store.