• Apple has blocked Fortnite from its U.S. and EU app stores, according to Epic Games.
• The game is offline globally on iOS devices until Apple lifts the block.
• This action escalates an ongoing dispute between Apple and Epic Games over app store policies.
• Epic Games claims Apple is obstructing their game distribution efforts.
• Apple refutes the claims, indicating it requested a resubmission of the app update.

Apple has blocked the popular video game Fortnite from its app stores in the United States and European Union, leading to its unavailability on iOS devices globally. According to Epic Games, the game's developer, "Fortnite on iOS will be offline worldwide" until the ban is lifted. This ongoing situation escalates the long-standing dispute between the two tech giants regarding app store policies and digital revenue sharing, as indicated by Channel News Asia and India Times.

Epic Games stated that Apple had blocked their latest attempt to reinstate the game, asserting that "Apple has blocked our Fortnite submission so we cannot release to the U.S. App Store or to the Epic Games Store for iOS in the European Union." The ban leaves millions of players unable to access the game, affecting user experience and potential revenue streams for Epic, reports CBS News and India Times.

The conflict between Epic Games and Apple began in 2020 after Epic introduced a direct payment option, circumventing Apple's revenue-sharing model. Although there was a partial legal victory for Epic earlier this year, legal complexities remain unresolved, creating confusion within the gaming community as Epic seeks to comply with new EU regulations. Apple refuted claims of blocking and stated it merely requested a resubmission of the app, as per reports from India Times and Channel News Asia.