No peace between Apple and Epic Games * SciTechTimes.com

Epic Games’ wildly popular battle royale title Fortnite has once again disappeared from iPhones in the European Union and the United States, reigniting tensions between the game developer and Apple.

On Friday, Epic confirmed that access to Fortnite via Apple’s iPhone operating system and App Store was unavailable in these major markets. The company stated the game would remain inaccessible worldwide on iPhones until Apple lifts its current restrictions.

While Epic didn’t detail the specific cause of the block, Apple responded by saying it had asked Epic Sweden to resubmit an app update without including the U.S. storefront to avoid broader disruptions to Fortnite’s availability in other regions. “We did not take any action to remove the live version of Fortnite from alternative distribution marketplaces,” an Apple spokesperson noted.

This marks the latest chapter in a years-long legal and regulatory feud between Epic Games and Apple. The dispute, which began in 2020, centers around Apple’s policy of taking up to a 30% commission on in-app purchases. Epic claims this practice violates antitrust rules and stifles competition.

On Friday evening, Epic escalated the standoff by filing a motion in a U.S. court, accusing Apple of contempt for blocking Fortnite’s return to the App Store. Epic argued that Apple’s move was a form of “blatant retaliation” for the developer’s ongoing legal challenges against what it describes as Apple’s monopolistic behavior.

Apple originally banned Fortnite from its App Store in 2020. However, the game made a return last year in the EU after regulatory pressure under the bloc’s newly enacted Digital Markets Act (DMA), which aims to rein in the dominance of Big Tech companies. In a significant development earlier this year, Apple also approved Epic Games’ own app marketplace for iPhones and iPads in Europe.

The courtroom drama continues, with Epic securing a legal victory against Apple earlier this month. The latest filing suggests the relationship between the two tech giants remains as volatile as ever.

Context Note

Fortnite’s absence from iPhones in the U.S. and EU highlights how regulatory moves like the EU’s DMA are increasingly forcing tech behemoths to alter longstanding business models. Meanwhile, Epic Games — partly owned by Chinese giant Tencent — continues to position itself as a leading voice against platform monopolies in the gaming ecosystem. Expect this case to be a landmark reference point for the global debate on digital marketplaces in the months ahead.