Apple continues to stall Fortnite’s return to the App Store even as blatant knockoffs remain publicly available. The delay has reignited frustration among fans and industry leaders, who now point to fake versions of Fortnite clones riddled with ads as a glaring contradiction in Apple’s app review policies.
Fake Fortnite Clones Still Thrive on Store
The App Store featured Epic Survival Battle Royale 3D, a game heavily resembling Fortnite’s design and mechanics but plagued with user complaints and a dismal 2.3-star rating. The gameplay itself is reportedly confusing and unfinished.
Apple has since taken down the app, but not before its existence highlighted a double standard. While clones like these remain approved, Apple has yet to greenlight the real Fortnite, even after a court ruling permitted third-party payment links within iOS apps.
Epic Pulls Submission Amid Apple’s Silence
Fortnite’s developer Epic Games recently resubmitted the game to Apple, hoping to reenter the U.S. App Store. But after 120 hours of no response—far exceeding Apple’s stated goal of reviewing 90 percent of apps within 24 hours—Epic pulled the submission and refiled a new version in time for its global Friday update.
Epic CEO Tim Sweeney called out Apple’s inaction on X, saying, “We need to release a weekly Fortnite update with new content this Friday… so we have pulled the previous Fortnite version and submitted a new one for review.”
Apple has not yet accepted or rejected the latest submission. The company’s prior termination of Epic’s account—upheld in court—may still be influencing the App Store’s decisions, despite legal obligations to allow external payment options.
As developers begin linking their iOS games to the Epic Games Store, Apple’s resistance to Fortnite’s return stands in stark contrast to the presence of poorly made lookalikes. This contrast is drawing growing scrutiny from developers, regulators, and gamers alike.