Fortnite has officially returned to the U.S. Apple App Store for iPhone and iPad users, marking a significant milestone after a five-year hiatus. Developer Epic Games broke the news with a celebratory post on X/Twitter, informing fans that they can now rejoin the globally beloved battle royale experience. The app’s store page mirrors its original design from 2020, though its description now boldly declares: “Fortnite is back!”
Fortnite is BACK on the App Store in the U.S. on iPhones and iPads... and on the Epic Games Store and AltStore in the E.U! It’ll show up in Search soon!
Get Fortnite on the App Store in the U.S. ➡️ https://t.co/HQu3pYCXFm pic.twitter.com/w74QPFFkOS
— Fortnite (@Fortnite) May 20, 2025
As of this article's publication, some U.S. Apple users might face challenges finding Fortnite through the App Store search function. However, Epic assures fans that this will resolve shortly. In the interim, you can view the newly restored store page here. Meanwhile, European users can now download Fortnite via the Epic Games Store or AltStore.
Fortnite’s triumphant return to iOS devices like the iPhone and iPad concludes a lengthy chapter of tension between Epic and Apple. The saga began in August 2020 when both Google and Apple removed Fortnite from their platforms after Epic introduced an update that lowered V-Buck prices and implemented a direct payment system. At the time, Epic cited “exorbitant” store fees imposed by Apple and Google as the catalyst for its actions.
Following this, a multi-year legal battle kept Fortnite absent from official digital storefronts for millions of players who previously enjoyed it on Apple and Google Play. That changed in April when Epic CEO Tim Sweeney announced Fortnite’s impending return to the iOS App Store in early May, thanks to a ruling from a U.S. Federal District Court in California. However, delays caused by ongoing restrictions from Apple pushed the launch back slightly, but Fortnite is finally live on iOS devices after half a decade.Players downloading Fortnite on an Apple device now have the choice to buy V-Bucks through the Epic Games Store or via in-app purchases. For instance, purchasing the 2,800 V-Bucks pack for $22.99 grants the option to send funds directly to Epic, earning $4.60 (or 20%) back to spend on other Epic offerings.
Fortnite V-Bucks purchase options. Image provided by Epic Games.
For further insights into Fortnite, explore Epic’s recent Darth Vader AI bot collaboration, which has sparked controversy due to players discovering ways to make it utter explicit language. The Screen Actors Guild - American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) filed an unfair labor practice charge against Epic over the matter yesterday.
