Epic Games won a small victory in its ongoing legal battle with Apple after the court refused to allow Apple to sever ties with its APIs and Unreal Engine, which is a software tool relied on by hundreds of other app makers. However, as Fortnite kicks off its latest season, iPhone, iPad, and Mac users are set to be left in the dust and will not be able to access the latest season.
Fortnite is currently not available on Apple's App Store, which means you won't be able to download the latest update if you are using Apple hardware. In its FAQ's regarding the Apple VS Epic Games situation, the game developer confirmed this development and reiterated that it has no plans to go back to Apple's payment system.
But while Apple has been blocked from shutting down Unreal Engine, it is still allowed to keep Fortnite out of the App Store until Epic meets Apple's request to resubmit the app without the direct payment system.
The war to save Reality starts now.The Lore, Legends, Heroes and Villains from @Marvel have arrived in Fortnite. Join the fight and take on Galactus to save all of Reality. #FortniteNexusWar pic.twitter.com/VG2Hr3MI2D
— Fortnite (@FortniteGame) August 27, 2020
Additionally, Apple users will also be left out of crossplay and will only be able to play online against other players using Apple devices. One of the biggest pros of Fortnite is its seamless integration across mobile, consoles, and PCs.
For now, Fortnite still remains unavailable on the Google Play Store. However, Android users can still sideload the app from the company's website, something that has been in practice for years. Additionally, Google's hold on what users can download on Android smartphones is far more relaxed, with Fornite continuing to be available through third-party app stores as well.
