Despite being officially resubmitted by Epic Games on Friday, May 9, Fortnite is yet to be back on the iOS App Store.
The long-awaited move comes almost four years after the hit game was removed from the Apple’s platform, causing a huge legal fight over in-app payment regulations.
The initial conflict started in 2020 when Epic circumvented the payment system of Apple in Fortnite, thus offering gamers lower prices through direct payment method.
Apple took the game down very fast and this sparked a lawsuit and a long legal battle. The final court verdict obliged Apple to allow developers to refer to outside payment methods, something that Epic did from the very beginning.
Now, Epic has re-applied to bring Fortnite back but more than 100 hours later, still, there is no response from Apple. As stated in the guidelines of Apple, most apps are reviewed within 24 hours.
Although delays on the weekend are not uncommon, it is now Tuesday and Fortnite has still not been approved or even given a public nod by Apple.
The Epic CEO Tim Sweeney had a short post on Twitter earlier today to explain the delay, stating that there is “no news” yet.
The delay is causing a lot of raised eyebrows in the tech world. Some wonder if Apple may be gearing up to refuse the app yet again, with a technicality as an excuse. Some others wonder whether Epic is having the submission to test the limits of the recent court decision.
It is not a legal obligation for Apple to allow Fortnite back in. However, it is not wise to reject it at this point, after losing a big court case, which might rekindle tensions. Sweeney has let it be known that he is not afraid to be in another fight.
There is no choice but to wait for the time being for Fortnite fans. Soon we should know whether the game is finally going to be restored on iPhones or if it is going to be banned again.
