Ah, Fortnite. The game that took the world by storm and dominated the Battle Royale genre for years. But alas, all good things must come to an end. And for Fortnite on iPhones, that end came in 2021, when it was removed from the App Store by none other than Apple itself.
Many were heartbroken at the news, as they were unable to play their favorite game on their beloved iPhones. But fear not, dear reader! For there may be hope on the horizon. Rumor has it that Fortnite could make a comeback on iPhones in 2023.
“Next year on iOS!”
Tim Sweeney, the CEO, and founder of Epic Games, posted a tweet on New Year’s Eve. Without any details, it had many gamers think that the man is referring to none other than Fortnite and that he’s teasing the game’s return to iOS devices, meaning iPhones and iPads.
Next year on iOS!
— Tim Sweeney (@TimSweeneyEpic) December 31, 2022
Surely people can speculate all around, but the most likely scenario is that Sweeney was indeed referring to Fortnite.
Fortnite was removed from iPhones in 2021 due to a dispute between Epic Games, the developer of Fortnite, and Apple. The conflict arose when Epic Games implemented a direct payment option in the app, bypassing Apple’s in-app purchase system.
Apple requires apps in the App Store to use its in-app purchase system, as it takes a commission on all purchases made through the system. Epic Games’ decision to bypass this system was a violation of the App Store’s terms of service, leading to the removal of Fortnite from the App Store.
Fortnite has over 350 million registered players, and it has been reported that the game has as many as 78.3 million active players per month. Fortnite remains free to play, and it’s currently available for PC (Windows and Mac), Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and Android (compatible with most devices).
