# Fortnite Makes a Triumphant Return to the US App Store After a Five-Year Absence
After a long legal battle with Apple, the popular battle royale game *Fortnite* has finally returned to the U.S. App Store. Here’s what you need to know about this exciting development in the world of gaming.
## The Long-Awaited Return
As of Tuesday, Fortnite is also available on the Epic Games Store and AltStore in the EU. According to Epic Games, it will soon appear in App Store searches as well. This marks a significant milestone for the game maker and its fans who have eagerly awaited its return.
## The Legal Battle
The saga began in 2020 when Apple removed Fortnite from the App Store after Epic Games added an option for players to make in-game purchases using Epic’s virtual currency, for which the company offered a 20% discount. In retaliation, Epic went on the offensive and sued Apple.
Last month, a judge ruled in Epic’s favor, finding that Apple was in “willful violation” of rules that bar anticompetitive pricing. The ruling stated that Apple must allow developers to collect payments outside the App Store and not levy fees on them.
Following the ruling, Epic resubmitted Fortnite to the App Store, but faced an approval delay. The company accused Apple of blocking the game from going live in the U.S. and EU. However, earlier this week, a U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers said in a filing that Apple should approve Epic’s submission or show it had a legal basis to block it.
## The Cashback Offer
The new version of Fortnite available on the App Store also offers a 20% cashback for buying in-game items directly from Epic instead of using Apple’s in-app purchase method. This move is seen as a direct challenge to Apple’s app store policies.
## The Impact
The return of Fortnite to the U.S. App Store could mark a turning point in the longstanding battle between tech giants and developers over app store policies. It remains to be seen how this development will unfold, but one thing is certain: the world of gaming and technology is watching closely.
Stay tuned for more updates on this exciting story! In the meantime, don’t forget to check out our other tech news and insights. Happy reading!