Fortnite returns to the App Store worldwide, but not in Australia

Fortnite is back on Apple’s App Store in most regions, with Australia the main exception. Epic Games said the game has now returned worldwide, but iOS players in Australia still can’t download it while the company’s legal fight with Apple continues there.

The return is tied to Epic and Apple’s long-running court battle over App Store payments and fees. According to Epic, Apple recently told the US Supreme Court that regulators in other countries are watching the case closely as they weigh what Apple can charge on purchases made outside the App Store.

Fortnite was originally pulled from the App Store in 2020 after Epic added its own payment option and bypassed Apple’s platform fees, kicking off the dispute that’s been dragging on ever since. Epic is framing the latest relaunch as part of that broader fight over commissions and alternative payment systems.

Australia is still unresolved. Epic said it partially won a case there that found many of Apple’s developer terms unlawful, but claims Fortnite’s iOS return is currently blocked by Apple’s payment rules. The company says it will hold off on bringing the game back in Australia until the court issues a decision, unless Apple changes those terms first.

This all comes as Apple’s app rules keep shifting by region. Epic’s own mobile store has already launched on iPhone in the EU and, more recently, in Japan after new regulation took effect there. Fortnite had also returned to iOS in the US after a district court ruled Apple couldn’t collect fees on purchases made outside the App Store. More details on Epic’s position were shared in Tim Sweeney’s post.

For players, the practical part is simple enough: if you’re on iPhone or iPad outside Australia, Fortnite should be available again through the App Store. In Australia, it’s still on hold.