It’s the end of the line for Fortnite on iOS and Mac. For now, at least. In an email sent to users, Epic Games says that users on Apple platforms will no longer be receiving new content for the game.
And, you know, to drum home the point that, as Epic is keen to suggest, Apple’s the one entirely at fault.
The email notes that:
“Apple is blocking Fortnite updates and new installs on the App Store, and has said they will terminate our ability to develop Fortnite for Apple devices. As a result, the Chapter 2 – Season 4 update (v14.00), did not release on iOS and macOS on August 27.”
Epic and Apple are currently battling over Apple’s 30% pay cut for in-app payments. Epic recently tried to get around this by setting up a direct payment system for updates outside the App Store. By cutting Apple out of the equation, Epic got to keep more of the money, while also offering discounts for customers.
But Apple was not happy — to put it mildly. The company made the decision to boot Fortnite out of the App Store. Epic had clearly been expecting this reaction, since it immediately filed a lawsuit against Apple. It also debuted an ad targeting Apple, shortly before announcing a new tournament with anti-Apple prizes on offer. The two companies are already going at it in court.
Epic’s email: Drumming up support from the Fortnite fans
Epic’s email about Fortnite is an explainer as to why they will not be getting access to the new season of the game. However, it’s also an attempt to muster more fan support for Epic in what is, in essence a money squabble between two big companies.
If Epic achieves its goal, fans could help pile on the pressure to get Apple to reverse its decision. Whether that happens, of course, remains to be seen.
As my colleague Killian Bell has pointed out before, existing Apple Fortnite users can still access the game, despite its App Store disappearance. That includes those who still have the app installed. But it also covers those who have deleted the app previously, but have installed it at one time.
Still, if you’re a fan hoping to gain access to the new content, you’ll need to use another platform to do so. That could be PC, Android, PlayStation, Xbox, or Nintendo Switch.
