"Fortnite" suffers another setback! Epic Games accuses Apple of blocking the App listing, affecting users in the US and Europe.

The famous game "Fortnite" ( Fortress Heroes ) was originally set to return to the iOS platform, but has faced another setback. Epic Games recently submitted a re-listing application to Apple, but it was rejected, resulting in "Fortnite" being unable to be listed on the US App Store and also unable to be downloaded through Epic's own store in Europe. This incident adds new fuel to the long-standing dispute between the two companies, with global iOS players being the most affected, and it seems unlikely that they will be able to play "Fortnite" in the short term.

Epic Games: Apple blocks us, global iOS Fortnite players suffer.

Epic Games issued a statement on Friday on the social platform X, stating that Apple has blocked the listing application for "Fortnite," preventing them from releasing the game on the US App Store or the Epic Games Store in the EU. The statement read: "Unfortunately, 'Fortnite' will not be able to go live on the iOS platform until Apple lifts the blockade."

This means that regardless of whether players are in the United States or Europe, as long as they are using iPhone or iPad devices, they currently cannot download or update "Fortnite" through legal channels, causing a significant impact on the gaming community.

Apple responded: We did not remove Fortnite, we just asked for changes to the listing method.

In response to Epic's accusations, Apple issued a statement later that same day indicating that they did not proactively remove Fortnite, but rather asked Epic Sweden (Epic's branch in Sweden) to resubmit the game version without the listing content for the US App Store.

Apple stated: "We are only asking Epic to remove the version for the United States to avoid affecting the release status of Fortnite in other regions."

After the judge's ruling, Epic attempted to return to the App Store.

Epic's background for this listing application stems from a court ruling that is favorable to them. About a month ago, a U.S. judge ruled that Apple could not charge commissions on transactions using payment methods outside of the App. This ruling prompted Epic to attempt to return to the App Store, but unexpectedly, they were still blocked by Apple.

"Fortnite" was originally removed from the App Store by Apple in 2020 because Epic added external payment links in the game, attempting to bypass Apple's commission mechanism of up to 30%, which has led to an ongoing legal battle between the two parties.

The EU could originally participate, but now it has also been blocked?

Although "Fortnite" has been available for download in Europe through Epic's iOS digital store since 2023, this is due to the EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA) allowing third-party app stores to operate legally. However, Epic stated that even its own platform in the EU region is currently unable to release "Fortnite".

This has led to questions from the outside world about whether Apple is indirectly blocking Epic's game distribution through technical or regulatory restrictions.

Developer's Voice: Apple controls too much, which is unfair to game companies.

Gabriel Le Roux, the CEO of the payment infrastructure startup Primer, told CNBC that Apple's control over the App Store is too strict, making it difficult for developers to freely monetize and expand their market.

"For game companies, the economic pressure is especially great. They often have thin profit margins, high customer acquisition costs, and must continuously attract users back. As a result, they are also charged a commission of 15 to 30% on each transaction, which can directly destroy their profit models," Le Roux said.

The flames of war have not yet extinguished, and the tug-of-war between Epic and Apple continues.

From the delisting incident in 2020 to the recent app submission being blocked, the war between Fortnite, Epic Games, and Apple has lasted nearly five years. As regulations and market environments change, this battle among tech giants clearly shows no signs of stopping.

For global Fortnite fans, it may only be possible to temporarily leave the battlefield in the short term and await the next round of confrontation between the two sides.

This article "Fortress Heroes" has faced setbacks again! Epic Games accuses Apple of blocking the app listing, affecting users in the US and Europe. Originally appeared on Chain News ABMedia.