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Epic Games submitted Fortnite to Apple for review on May 9, 2025, hoping to bring the game back to the U.S. App Store after nearly five years away. More than 120 hours later, Epic said Apple had neither approved nor rejected the build. Epic withdrew that submission on May 14 and replaced it with an updated version because Fortnite’s weekly content update had made the original build outdated.
That resubmission did not immediately restore Fortnite on iPhone or iPad. Apple asked Epic to separate the U.S. storefront from other regional distribution requests, Epic accused Apple of blocking the release, and the dispute moved back to federal court. Fortnite ultimately returned to the U.S. App Store on May 20, 2025.
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What happened on May 9?
Epic submitted Fortnite to Apple’s App Review process on May 9, 2025. The intended destination was the U.S. App Store, where Apple had removed Fortnite in August 2020 after Epic added a payment option that bypassed Apple’s in-app purchase system.
The submission followed a significant development in Epic’s legal fight with Apple. In April 2025, a federal district court found that Apple had willfully violated an injunction governing how developers could direct customers to external payment systems. Epic argued that the ruling cleared the way for a Fortnite submission that complied with the court’s requirements.
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- Deep Freeze Bundle: Cool off with the Deep Freeze set and 1,000 V-Bucks. Includes the frostbite outfit (with LEGO Style), freezing point back bling, chill-axe pickaxe, and cold front glider.
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However, submitting an app for review is not the same as receiving approval. Apple still had to process the build through App Review, and the submission itself was not a guarantee that Fortnite would immediately appear in the U.S. store.
TechCrunch reported the May 9 submission and the subsequent delay.
What did “120+ hours” mean?
According to Epic’s account, Apple had not approved or rejected the submission after more than 120 hours—more than five days. The figure describes the reported status of this particular Fortnite submission. It should not be treated as a universal Apple App Review deadline or as proof that Apple had violated a specific 120-hour service guarantee.
The available reporting does not provide a complete, independently verifiable App Store Connect audit trail for every status change. The most accurate description is therefore that Epic said the build remained unresolved for more than 120 hours.
That distinction matters. “Apple ignored Fortnite” is Epic’s characterization of the delay, while “Apple rejected Fortnite after 120 hours” incorrectly describes what happened at the initial stage.
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- Redeemable on accounts in the United States and in U.S. Dollars.
- Gift card must be redeemed at EpicGames.com/redeem. This gift card WILL NOT work if redeemed directly on a console device (PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, etc.)
- If you play Fortnite experiences on a console device, you need to link your Epic Games account to your console account(s) so items purchased at Fortnite.com/item-shop appear across all of your linked accounts
- Requires internet connection, valid Epic account and prior acceptance of the terms
- Redemption: Online
Why did Epic withdraw and resubmit?
Epic’s decision had two connected causes:
- The first submission had remained unresolved. Epic said Apple had not made an approval or rejection decision after more than 120 hours.
- The build was no longer current. Fortnite receives regular weekly content updates. By May 14, the version submitted on May 9 no longer reflected the game’s latest release, so Epic withdrew it and submitted an updated build.
This was not simply a brand-new first submission. Nor does the evidence support describing the May 14 replacement as solely a pressure tactic. The unresolved review created the dispute, while Fortnite’s update schedule supplied a practical reason to replace the original build.
Did Apple reject Fortnite?
Not during the initial 120-plus-hour period, according to Epic. At that point, Epic described the app as neither approved nor rejected.
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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsThe situation became more complicated on May 15. In a letter to Epic, Apple asked Epic Sweden to submit Fortnite without the U.S. storefront. Apple’s stated position was that separating the U.S. request would prevent the unresolved U.S. issue from affecting Fortnite’s distribution in other regions. Apple also disputed Epic’s interpretation of the legal situation and raised issues involving Epic’s developer account and ongoing litigation.
Epic later said Apple had blocked the relevant submission and that Fortnite would be unavailable on iOS worldwide while the dispute continued. Apple’s letter provides a different account: it says the issue involved the scope and structure of the submission, rather than a decision to remove Fortnite from alternative European marketplaces.
The careful summary is that the initial submission was left without a decision, Apple then requested a geographically separate submission, and Epic subsequently characterized Apple’s handling as a block. Those are different events and should not be collapsed into one rejection.
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- Redeemable on accounts in the United States and in U.S. Dollars.
- Gift card must be redeemed at EpicGames.com/redeem. This gift card WILL NOT work if redeemed directly on a console device (PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, etc.)
- If you play Fortnite experiences on a console device, you need to link your Epic Games account to your console account(s) so items purchased at Fortnite.com/item-shop appear across all of your linked accounts
- Requires internet connection, valid Epic account and prior acceptance of the terms
- Redemption: Online
Apple’s May 15 letter is the primary source for its request. Epic’s position appears in its May 16 court filing.
Why did the U.S. submission affect Europe?
Epic used an Epic Games Sweden developer account and included the U.S. storefront alongside other geographic distribution requests. Apple asked Epic to remove the U.S. storefront from the submission so that the U.S. dispute would not affect Fortnite elsewhere.
Epic said Apple’s handling prevented Fortnite from being released through the Epic Games Store for iOS in the European Union as well. Apple, meanwhile, said its request was intended to separate the U.S. issue from distribution in other regions—not to remove an already-live European alternative-store version.
The dispute was therefore partly about geographic scope: whether one submission containing multiple storefront requests should be processed together or separated. The available filings do not justify a broader claim that Apple technically could not review the regions independently.
The legal background in brief
Apple removed Fortnite from the App Store in August 2020 after Epic introduced an alternative payment route. Epic sued Apple, challenging the App Store’s rules, payment restrictions and commission structure.
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- DARKFIRE BUNDLE — Includes Dark Power Chord, Molten Omen, and Shadow Ark outfits with LEGO Styles, along with Dark Six String, Molten Battle Shroud, and Shadow Ark Wings back blings.
- MORE DARKFIRE GEAR — Customize your loadout with three wraps, three dual-wielding pickaxes, and an emote included in the Darkfire Bundle.
- DEEP FREEZE BUNDLE — Cool off with the Frostbite outfit with LEGO Style, Freezing Point back bling, Chill-Axe pickaxe, and Cold Front glider.
- 1,000 V-BUCKS — Get 1,000 V-Bucks with the Deep Freeze Bundle to use in Fortnite.
The May 2025 episode centered on enforcement of an injunction involving external-payment steering. After the April ruling found that Apple had willfully violated that injunction, Epic argued that Apple could not use App Review to frustrate a compliant U.S. Fortnite return. Apple maintained that other legal questions—including the status of Epic’s developer account and its appeal—remained relevant.
The ruling did not automatically guarantee approval for every Fortnite build, and it was not a blanket determination that Apple’s entire App Store business was illegal. It supplied the legal context for why a delayed review quickly became an issue for the court.
Timeline: Fortnite’s attempted return
- August 2020: Apple removes Fortnite from the App Store after Epic enables an alternative payment option.
- May 1, 2025: A federal judge sanctions Apple after finding a willful violation related to the App Store injunction.
- May 9: Epic submits Fortnite for U.S. App Store review.
- May 14: After Epic says the submission has remained unresolved for more than 120 hours, it withdraws the older build and submits an updated version.
- May 15: Apple asks Epic to submit Fortnite without the U.S. storefront and disputes Epic’s interpretation of the legal situation.
- May 16: Epic says Apple has blocked the submission and files a motion seeking enforcement of the injunction.
- May 19: The judge orders Apple to resolve the issue or identify the responsible official for a hearing.
- May 20: Fortnite returns to the U.S. App Store after Apple and Epic report that the immediate dispute has been resolved.
Contemporary reporting on the court intervention is available from TechCrunch, while the return was reported by the Associated Press.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How could iPhone and iPad users play?
U.S. users: the App Store
After the May 20 restoration, the normal route for U.S. users was the official App Store listing. Users should verify that the listing identifies Epic Games as the developer and check the live listing for device compatibility and the required iOS or iPadOS version. Those requirements can change as Fortnite updates.
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European Union and Japan: alternative distribution
Epic’s official mobile information identifies alternative distribution through the Epic Games Store for supported markets, including the European Union and Japan. Epic’s support materials also mention AltStore PAL in the EU.
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- Redeemable on accounts in the United States and in U.S. Dollars.
- Gift card must be redeemed at EpicGames.com/redeem. This gift card WILL NOT work if redeemed directly on a console device (PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, etc.)
- If you play Fortnite experiences on a console device, you need to link your Epic Games account to your console account(s) so items purchased at Fortnite.com/item-shop appear across all of your linked accounts
- Requires internet connection, valid Epic account and prior acceptance of the terms
- Redemption: Online
Availability depends on country, Apple software version, device and local distribution rules. An alternative-store route in the EU or Japan should not be presented as a general replacement for the U.S. App Store.
See Epic’s official iOS availability page and its support guidance on third-party installation for regional details.
Cloud gaming
Cloud gaming can provide an installation-free fallback where a native iOS installation is unavailable. Epic identifies Xbox Cloud Gaming and NVIDIA GeForce NOW as options.
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Cloud streaming depends on supported geography, account setup, network quality and the provider’s current terms. It can also introduce latency, queues, image-quality limits, session restrictions and less responsive touch controls compared with a native installation. A VPN should not be treated as a guaranteed or risk-free way to bypass regional availability.
What the episode showed
The May 2025 dispute was more than a routine App Review delay. Epic viewed the unresolved submission as evidence that Apple was frustrating the practical effect of the court’s injunction. Apple said it was asking for a separation of the U.S. storefront from other regional requests. The court’s intervention made the delay legally consequential, but it does not independently prove Apple’s subjective motive.
The sequence also explains why the wording matters: Epic did not immediately get Fortnite back merely by resubmitting it. The initial build was submitted on May 9, replaced with a current build on May 14, and returned only after the dispute escalated and the court demanded a resolution.
Update: May 20, 2025
Apple and Epic told the court that they had resolved the immediate dispute, and Fortnite returned to the U.S. App Store on May 20. Epic later announced broader mobile availability through the App Store and alternative distribution, with Australia identified as an exception in that official update. Regional availability can change, so readers should rely on Epic’s live availability information and their local App Store listing.
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