It’s finally happening… or is it?
After nearly four years of being banned from the U.S. App Store, Fortnite is officially back in review with Apple. Yep, Epic Games just hit the submit button, and now the ball’s in Apple’s court.
If everything goes smoothly, Fortnite could be back on your iPhone as soon as this week—but don’t get your hopes up for a midweek drop. According to Epic CEO Tim Sweeney, the earliest we might see Fortnite return is Friday.
Quick Recap — Why Fortnite Was Removed in the First Place
If you somehow missed the drama, here’s the TL;DR:
Back in 2020, Epic sneakily added a direct payment option in Fortnite, bypassing Apple’s 30% cut on V-Bucks. Apple didn’t love that (shocking, right?) and booted Fortnite from the App Store. This move kicked off a massive legal battle over Apple’s control of the App Store and how developers can get paid.
Fast forward to last week, Epic scored a big win. A federal judge ruled that Apple can’t block developers from linking to external payment options—and they can’t slap a 27% fee on purchases made outside the App Store. Huge.
What Happens Now?
Epic says they’re using their EU developer account to submit Fortnite, since Apple terminated their U.S. account during the legal mess. But even with the submission in, there’s no word on when exactly Apple will approve it.
Sweeney’s been giving daily updates like it’s a game launch livestream:
“Not Monday or Tuesday.”
“Not Wednesday either.”
“Definitely not Thursday… the team is still typing code.”
So, Friday? Maybe. Next week? More likely.
Get Your Gear Ready
While we wait, Backbone Pro (the mobile controller that turns your iPhone into a legit gaming rig) is already hyping the return. So, if you’ve got one lying around—or you’ve been thinking about picking one up—now’s the time to dust it off.
Fortnite’s comeback is getting real close. You ready to drop back in?