The popular battle royal game Fortnite has finally returned to the US app store amid a long legal skirmish with Apple from game maker Epic Games.
As of Tuesday, Fortnite is also available in the EPIC Games store and the EU’s Altstore. It will soon be visible in the App Store search, Epic said in an X post.
Apple removed Fortnite from the App Store in 2020 after EPIC added the option to purchase in-game using Epic’s cryptocurrency. Epic then attacked and sued Apple.
The judge ruled in favor of Epic, finding it was a “willful violation” of the rules that prohibit anti-competitive pricing. Last month, the judge said Apple must allow developers to collect payments outside the App Store, and that they will not be charged.
Following the verdict, the epic resubmitted Fortnite to the App Store, but faced delays in approval. The company accused Apple of blocking games and blocking live shows in the US and EU.
Earlier this week, US District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers said that Apple should either approve Epic’s filing or show that there is a legal basis to block it. It is probably leaning in epic favor.
The new version of Fortnite, available on the App Store, also offers 20% cashback for purchasing in-game items directly from Epic, instead of using Apple’s in-app purchase method.