Epic Video games has been ready for Apple to approve Fortnite for the US iOS App Retailer for almost per week, and now Epic CEO Tim Sweeney is utilizing X to attempt to put strain on Apple. On Thursday, he highlighted examples of Fortnite lookalikes which are at present on the App Retailer and made a direct attraction to Apple CEO Tim Cook dinner.
In one post, Sweeney included screenshots of the App Retailer itemizing for a sport known as Fort Battle Royale Epic Shoot. A screenshot within the app itemizing reveals a sport with Fortnite-inspired graphics, however it’s clear in case you look intently that it isn’t the actual Fortnite. “Hey @AppStore can we get the actual Fortnite up pls?” Sweeney asked.
Quickly after, Sweeney said that Fort Battle Royale Epic Shoot had been taken down from the App Retailer but additionally highlighted one other Fortnite clone, Epic Survival Battle Royale 3D. That app, as of this writing, continues to be accessible on the App Retailer. (Apple has one thing of a historical past of letting unofficial fakes of standard video games slip onto the shop.)
Sweeney additionally replied to a put up Cook dinner made earlier within the day. “Hello Tim. How about in case you let our mutual clients entry Fortnite? Only a thought,” Sweeney wrote.
Shortly after the April 30th ruling in Epic Video games v. Apple that blocked Apple from charging a charge on purchases made outdoors the App Retailer, Sweeney introduced that Epic would carry Fortnite again to the US iOS App Retailer “next week.”
Epic mentioned it submitted Fortnite to Apple on Friday, May 9th, however the app hasn’t but been authorized. (Apple’s web site says that “on common, 90 % of submissions are reviewed in lower than 24 hours.”)
Sweeney said yesterday that the corporate submitted a brand new model as a result of “we have to launch a weekly Fortnite replace with new content material this Friday, and all platforms should replace concurrently.” However that up to date submission nonetheless hasn’t been authorized, both.
“We don’t have an replace on our Fortnite submission to the App Retailer,” Sweeney mentioned earlier on Thursday. “Apple has neither accepted nor rejected it. So the Friday replace to Fortnite is now in jeopardy.”
It’s unclear if that final sentence implies that Epic plans to delay the planned Friday Fortnite update for all platforms the place Fortnite is on the market because of Apple not but approving the replace.
Apple and Epic Video games didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.