It’s been over a year since Fortnite Mobile was removed from the Apple App Store, and here’s what we know about its return.

Updated 9/22/2021 – Following an appeal submitted by Epic Games, Apple has confirmed “Fortnite will be blacklisted from the Apple Ecosystem until the exhaustion of all court appeals.” Tim Sweeney, CEO of Epic Games, believes this process could take up to 5 years.

On August 13, 2020, Apple removed Fortnite Mobil removed from the App Store. This was because Epic Games added a third-party payment option which is against Apple TOS.

The direct payment method allowed players to pay Epic Games directly in exchange for V-Bucks. Epic incentivized this method of payment by discounting all purchases made directly to Epic Games.

Epic Games filed a lawsuit against Apple with claims the App Store is an anti-competitive marketplace. The Court has finally issued the verdict following a lengthy court process. However, what does this mean for the future of Fortnite Mobile?

Epic Games vs Apple lawsuit verdict

After over a year of legal battle and long wait times, the court has finally issued a verdict in the Epic Games vs Apple lawsuit. The court has decided that “Epic Games overreached” and it sided with Apple on almost all accounts.

• Read More: Fortnite Crew Legacy Set: How to unlock stages

The court did not find Apple as an “antitrust monopolist in the submarket” for mobile gaming. The verdict states, “The Court finds in favor of Apple on all counts except with respect to violation of California’s Unfair Competition law and only partially with respect to its claim for Declaratory Relief.“

However, the Court is forcing Apple to allow direct purchasing methods which is why Fortnite was banned in the first place. A court document reads, “Apple… are hereby permanently restrained and enjoined from prohibiting developers from including in their apps and their metadata button, external links, or other calls to action that direct customers to purchasing mechanisms, in addition to In-App Purchasing.“

Due to the loss, Epic Games has to pay Apple 30% of $12+ million in damages. While Epic Games may have lost, mobile game developers won as a whole. Direct Purchasing will allow developers to make more money from microtransactions.

Is Fortnite Mobile coming back to Apple App Store?

The official Fortnite Twitter announced that it has requested to have its developer account restored by Apple. However, Apple denied this request stating it would only reinstate the account “if they agree to play by the same rules as everyone else.”

Tim Sweeney, CEO and Founder of Epic Games, doesn’t seem to want to comply. Twitter user imgoldenyt offered a solution that could allow Fortnite to return to iOS. Sweeney responded by saying “I read all of this. I just disagree.”

In a separate tweet, Sweeney claims that the ruling is not a win for developers or consumers. He goes on to state that “Fortnite will return to the iOS App Store when and where Epic can offer in-app payment in fair competition with Apple in-app payment.”

However, on September 22, 2021, Tim Sweeney sent an email to Apple stating that Epic Games would remove its direct payment method. The email once again requested Epic’s developer account to be reinstated.

However, apple once again denied Epic Games’ request. In response back, Apples states that it will “not consider any further requests for reinstatement until the district court’s judgment becomes final and non-appealable.”

In short, Fortnite will be blacklisted from the Apple Ecosystem until the exhaustion of all court appeals. Sweeney believes this process could take up to 5 years.

So it seems that Fortnite won’t be returning to the Apple App Store anytime soon. Apple doesn’t have to reinstate Epic Games’ developer account even though Epic Games is willing to comply with the rules. Sadly, mobile player may have to wait years before Fortnite returns to the App Store.

• Read More: Where the Fortnite Shrinking Chair is located

For more Fortnite, check out when and how to watch the end-of-season event, and stay tuned for more news and guides.

Prop Hunt has long been part of collective gaming culture. The mode has finally arrived in Fortnite and it looks to be a whole lot of fun!

Due to some mishaps on the part of Epic, Fortnite has been suffering some negative strides. In order to switch things back around, the devs need a successive streak of victories.

• Read more: Fortnite v9.30 Patch Notes – Chug Splash, Boom Bow vaulted, and more

Prop Hunt has been a much asked for ‘just for fun’ mode and Epic is now delivering. This, along with great v9.30 changes, could really bring back a lot of excitement for Fortnite!

Prop Hunt playable now in Fortnite

Fortnite’s Creative mode is a stirring pot of creative genius and remarkable talents. For the lucky few chosen by Epic, the creations made in Creative become legendary adventures played by millions.

Prop Hunt has been brought to life by a team of talented Creative creators. The team at StrayKite managed to create a replica of the classic experience that plays like a dream.

The mode is available to play now in Creative & Playground lobbies.

The basic rules of Prop Hunt are as follows:

• Props are given a set amount of time to hide before Seekers try to find them
• Each Prop can switch between differing objects a certain amount of times
• Seekers try to find all the Props before the time limit is reached. If they manage to do so, the Seekers win.
• If all Props are not found, the Props win.

Epic Games has not given any end-date for the Prop Hunt island feature, but the prop hunt mode can always be played from here on out. This can be done by using the Island Code provided by Epic (6069-9263-9110).

Using the Creative mode’s configuration settings, you can also create custom Prop Hunt game types. This includes longer Seeker time limits, stricter win conditions, banned props, and more. More options will be added for the mode in the future.

Best Prop Hunt island codes 2021

Happy hunting!

The long-awaited court trial between Epic Games and Apple starts today, May 3, 2021, and will last roughly three weeks. Epic Games vs Apple could not only decide the fate of Fortnite on iOS devices, but also the future of the App Store.

On August 13, 2020, Epic Games announced a permanent discount on V-Bucks across all platforms. However, mobile users would have to use a new payment option to receive this discount. This option would bypass Apple’s 30% cut of in-app purchases by allowing players to pay Epic Games directly.

Apple quickly removed Fortnite from the App Store stating that Epic Games had violated the App Creator’s Term of Service. Epic Games had anticipated its removal and simultaneously launched an in-game event calling for players to rally against Apple. Tournaments were held, merch was released, and the hashtag #FreeFortnite trended to raise awareness of the legal actions being taken against Apple.

Epic Games vs. Apple trial starts

Epic Games filed a suit against Apple alleging that its App Store guidelines are anti-competitive in nature. As well, the suit would not be for monetary gain but to liberate app developers from Apple’s unfair cuts. Apple filed a counterclaim that Epic Games had breached its developer agreements when it implemented a direct payment method.

• Read More: Fortnite won’t come back to the Apple app store until at least next year

Now, almost nine months after the Epic Games vs Apple case was originally filed, the court trial is starting. According to legal documents found on the Northern District of California’s website, each party will have 45 hours to plead their case to the United States District Court. The trials will last for roughly three weeks before a verdict is drawn.

The trial starts at 11:15 a.m. EST today, May 3, 2021. Due to the popularity surrounding the case, public access to the court hearing is being offered via phone. Those interested can call 1 (877) 336-1839 and use access code 9403112 to listen to the lengthy trial.

The CEOs of both Apple and Epic Games will speak during the trial. Tim Cook of Apple will argue that Epic Games breached its contract while Tim Sweeney will fight for developer and publisher freedoms.

While the anticipation for the Epic Games vs Apple trial is at an all-time high, decisions won’t be made for the next few weeks. Fortnite Intel will continue to keep readers updated if any big news comes from the trial.