Apple Disputes Epic Games’ Report of Denial of App Store Submission

Apple and Epic Games are reportedly sparring over Apple’s denial of Epic Games’ resubmission to place its game Fortnite in the App Store.

Epic Games said Friday that its resubmission was denied by Apple, while Apple responded that it did not remove the game from alternative distribution marketplaces, CNBC reported Friday (May 16).

The Fortnite account said in a post on X: “Apple has blocked our Fortnite submission so we cannot release to the US App Store or to the Epic Games Store for iOS in the European Union. Now, sadly, Fortnite on iOS will be offline worldwide until Apple unblocks it.”

The game had been available on iPhones in Europe through Epic Games’ app store, because of the European Union’s Digital Markets Act, but Epic Games said on Friday that it was also blocked from distributing Fortnite there, according to the report.

Apple told CNBC later Friday: “We asked that Epic Sweden resubmit the app update without including the U.S. storefront of the App Store so as not to impact Fortnite in other geographies.”

An April 30 court ruling in a long legal battle brought by Epic Games required Apple to allow third-party payment options within its App Store.

While Apple defeated most of the original claims in the 2021 case, the court mandated that it loosen its restrictions and allow developers to direct users to third-party payment methods — and a judge said April 30 that Apple had deliberately circumvented that order.

An Apple spokesperson said at the time: “We strongly disagree with the decision. We will comply with the court’s order and we will appeal.”

Days later, Apple appealed the judge’s ruling in the case.

The company also regulatory battles in Europe tied to the App Store.

Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney said on the day of the court ruling that the company would return Fortnite to the U.S. iOS App Store the following week.

In an April 30 post on X, Sweeney said: “Epic puts forth a peace proposal: If Apple extends the court’s friction-free, Apple-tax-free framework worldwide, we’ll return Fortnite to the App Store worldwide and drop current and future litigation on the topic.”