After nearly four years of absence, Fortnite has officially returned to the iOS App Store in the United States, marking a major victory for Epic Games following its long-standing legal battle with Apple. The return comes at a high point in Fortnite’s content calendar, as the game is currently in the middle of its Star Wars-themed Galactic Battle mini-season featuring major character additions like Emperor Palpatine, Mace Windu, General Grievous, and even Darth Jar Jar.
The original removal of Fortnite from the iOS App Store dates back to 2020, when Epic deliberately bypassed Apple’s in-app purchase system. That move triggered a legal standoff that stretched on for years, effectively blocking the game from iOS devices. Though the court eventually ruled in Epic’s favor, Apple refused to reinstate Fortnite extending the ban globally after previously applying it only to U.S. users.
That changed this week when Epic Games announced on Twitter/X that Fortnite is once again available for download on iOS devices in the United States, with a European Union release “coming soon.”
Galactic Battle Season Hypes Up Mobile Return
Coinciding with the game's return is the ongoing Galactic Battle mini-season, which has brought in a flood of Star Wars content and characters. Players can now engage in battles alongside iconic figures from the galaxy far, far away.
However, some fans have expressed concerns over the battle pass XP grind, particularly the amount required to unlock cosmetics like the much-discussed Darth Jar Jar skin in the Item Shop.
Still, many mobile-only players are excited just to have access again. Fortnite on iOS provides a valuable entry point for those who don't own consoles or gaming PCs, and the timing couldn’t be better with major crossover content live in-game.
Legal Tensions Remain as AI Controversy Builds
Even with the Apple dispute resolved in Fortnite’s favor, Epic Games faces a new fresh controversy this time from SAG-AFTRA, the union representing voice actors. The organization is reportedly suing Epic over its use of AI-generated voice lines in the game, including for characters like Darth Vader, who can now be added to player squads and engages in fully voiced conversations powered by artificial intelligence.
The feature has gone viral, with many sharing humorous or cinematic clips of AI-Vader in action, but its reception has been mixed due to ongoing concerns about voice actor compensation and AI ethics in games. Read on for more details about this in our previous article.
Fortnite’s Future Looks Bright
Despite the legal friction, Fortnite's re-entry into the mobile market, combined with its ever-expanding seasonal content, signals a renewed wave of momentum for Epic Games. With the game now restored for millions of iOS players and more Star Wars content rolling out, the battle royale continues to evolve both on and off the battlefield.
What are your thoughts on the announcement? Will you or your kids be playing the game on your apple products? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
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