Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Gaming
  3. News

Epic Games’ apps are officially off the Apple App Store

By

Apple has pushed through with the termination of Epic Games’ developer account on its App Store, removing its apps from the digital storefront.

Recommended Videos

The legal dispute between Apple and Epic Games has further escalated after popular battle royale shooter Fortnite was taken down from the App Store.

Apple said that it will remove Epic’s account, which will affect all of the developer’s other iOS games and will also prevent it from rolling out updates to players who have previously downloaded the apps.

“We are disappointed that we have had to terminate the Epic Games account on the App Store,” Apple said in a statement to Digital Trends, adding that Epic has refused to follow the court’s recommendation to comply with the App Store’s rules, and has instead repeatedly submitted Fortnite updates that violate the guidelines.

“This is not fair to all other developers on the App Store and is putting customers in the middle of their fight. We hope that we can work together again in the future, but unfortunately, that is not possible today,” the statement said.

Digital Trends has also reached out to Epic Games for comments, and we will update this article as soon as we hear back.

Apple vs. Epic Games, explained

The Apple-Epic Games feud started when Epic attempted to bypass the 30% commission that Apple collects from in-app transactions in Fortnite by offering a feature that allows players to make purchases directly from the developer at a discount.

Apple responded by removing Fortnite from the App Store, and the Google Play Store followed suit.

Apple told Epic that it will terminate its developer accounts and cut it off from iOS and Mac development tools on August 28. Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, however, granted Epic a partial restraining order that will allow it to continue working on its Unreal Engine gaming platform, but it did not cover the return of Fortnite to the App Store.

The next hearing in the legal dispute between Apple and Epic is scheduled for September 28.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Aaron Mamiit
Aaron Mamiit
Contributor
Aaron received a NES and a copy of Super Mario Bros. for Christmas when he was 4 years old, and he has been fascinated with…
The method to Apple Arcade’s madness? ‘Bring us an incredible game’
Apple Arcade characters stand on a chess board.

Whenever Apple rolls out a lofty new idea, it invites as many skeptics as it does fans. Devices like the Vision Pro birthed naysayers from the moment it was announced, but armchair criticism has rarely, if ever, put a dent in the tech giant’s plans. It has a way of committing to its products and initiatives, even when outsiders might think no one is using them.

That’s been the story of Apple Arcade since it launched in 2019. The service came at a time when the biggest tech companies were hungry for a piece of the lucrative video game industry. While Google and Amazon tried to break in with cloud platforms, Apple laid out an entirely different vision: a mobile subscription service full of games that featured no ads or microtransactions. It sounded too good to be true – and some people at that time weren't convinced. Look back at the comments on its original tweet announcing the service and you’ll find a mess of replies ripping it apart.

Read more
Fortnite is getting a Disney universe made by Epic Games
Concept art for Disney's Fortnite experience.

Epic Games is partnering with Disney to create “an all-new games and entertainment universe” that’s compatible with Fortnite.

Announced Wednesday afternoon — at the same time as it was announced that ESPN would be available as a standalone subscription in 2025 —  this partnership follows a $1.5 billion investment in Epic Games by Disney. They companies now plan to work together over several years to create this experience connected to Fortnite, which Disney says will “offer a multitude of opportunities for consumers to play, watch, shop and engage with content, characters and stories from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, Avatar, and more.”

Read more
One of the Apple Vision Pro’s first games lets you play tabletop classics
Apple Vision Pro being worn by a person while using a keyboard.

Developer Resolution Games shared more details on Game Room, its launch title for the Apple Vision Pro that comes out alongside the headset on February 2.

As its name implies, Game Room is a collection of classic tabletop games like chess that Apple Vision Pro users will be able to try out in mixed reality. The Apple Vision Pro's spatial computing allows for a three-dimensional interface in which players can interact with game pieces or cards using just their hands. At launch, Game Room will include Chess, Solitaire, Hearts, Yacht, and Sea Battle (a take on Battleship), although its developers plan to add more games after launch.

Read more