Fortnite Is Finally Back on the U.S. Apple App Store

Fortnite has made its long-awaited return to the U.S. Apple App Store for iPhone and iPad users.

Developer Epic Games shared and celebrated the news with a post on X/Twitter, letting mobile gaming fans know that they can finally go back to playing its massively popular battle royale experience after five years of waiting. The new Fortnite iOS store page is back the same as it was the day it left in 2020, though its description now starts with a new message: “Fortnite is back!”

At the time of this story’s publication, some U.S. Apple users may have trouble searching for Fortnite through the App Store itself, though Epic says this will change “soon.” In the meantime, you can click here to see its revived store page. For those in the E.U., you can also now download Fortnite through the Epic Games Store and AltStore.

Fortnite’s reappearance on iOS devices like the iPhone and iPad brings an end to much of the drama surrounding Epic and Apple. It started in August 2020, when both Google and Apple announced they had removed Fortnite from their respective digital stores after Epic launched an update that decreased the price of V-Bucks while adding a direct payment system. At the time, the Fortnite studio explained that its decision was a direct result of what it was calling “exorbitant” store fees issued by Apple and Google.

What followed was a years-long legal battle that kept Fortnite absent from official storefronts for the millions of players who were previously enjoying it through Apple and Google Play. That changed in April when Epic CEO Tim Sweeney said Fortnite would return to the iOS App Store in early May following a decision from a U.S. Federal District Court in California. A bump in the road involving continued blocking from Apple saw its return postponed, but now, after five years, Fortnite is finally back on iOS devices.

Those who download Fortnite on an Apple phone or tablet will now have the option to purchase V-Bucks through the Epic Games Store or via in-app purchases. Those who pick the 2,800 V-Bucks pack for $22.99, for example, can choose to send the money directly to Epic, earning $4.60 (or 20%) back to be used on other offerings from the company.

For more on Fortnite, you can read up on Epic’s Darth Vader AI bot. It’s a Star Wars collaboration that’s not been without issue, as players quickly figured out how to get it to say “f**k.” The Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) filed an unfair labor practice charge against Epic yesterday.

Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor with IGN. He’s best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).