The absence of the popular game Fortnite from Apple’s mobile operating system stems from a significant disagreement between Epic Games, the developer of Fortnite, and Apple. This dispute revolves around Apple’s App Store guidelines, specifically regarding in-app purchase systems and the associated commission fees.
Apple mandates that developers utilize its in-app purchase system for digital goods and services sold within applications available on the App Store. Apple retains a 30% commission on these transactions. Epic Games sought to bypass this system, implementing its own direct payment method within the iOS version of Fortnite, thereby circumventing Apple’s commission. This action directly violated Apple’s App Store terms of service.