Fortnite's U.S. App Store Return Delayed: What's Behind the Holdup?

Fortnite, the popular video game, is set to return to the U.S. App Store this week, though not before Friday according to Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney. The game has been absent from the App Store since 2020 due to a dispute over Apple's 30% commission on in-app purchases. Recently, a federal judge ruled that Apple can no longer block developers from linking to or advertising external payment methods, leading to a shift in the industry with companies like Epic, Stripe, Patreon, and Spotify embracing these new guidelines. Epic is now using its EU developer account to reintroduce Fortnite, but the submission process has yet to be completed, delaying the midweek launch. The exact release date remains uncertain as the development team continues to work on final updates.