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Epic asked Apple if Fortnite can return to its app store in South Korea due to an impending law change, but Apple has denied the request.
Epic started a battle with Apple last year when it offered Fortnite players on iOS the option to buy V-Bucks directly from its own online store. That violates Apple's terms of use which dictate all sales must go through the app store, largely so that it can take its 30% cut. Fortnite was swiftly removed from iOS and has remained absent ever since, resulting in an ongoing lawsuit between the two parties.
The latest development comes in the form of a law change in South Korea. The country recently passed a law allowing app developers to take payments directly. They can no longer be forced to only go through a platform such as Apple's app store. Since that law comes into effect next week, Epic filed a request to have Fortnite return to iOS.
“Epic intends to re-release Fortnite on iOS in Korea offering both Epic payment and Apple payment side-by-side,” Epic's public statement on the matter reads. However, Apple has denied that request, issuing a brief statement to Reuters on the matter. “We would welcome Epic's return to the App Store if they agree to play by the same rules as everyone else,” Apple's statement reads.
It's unclear how exactly Epic wouldn't be playing by the same rules as everyone else since its statement explains it will be abiding by South Korea's new law should Fortnite be allowed to return to iOS. However, even though the law change dictates Apple allows developers to take payment through different means, there's nothing stopping it from picking and choosing who it allows to use, or not use, its platform to distribute those apps.
It seems as if Fortnite will remain absent from iOS until the legal issues between Epic and Apple are settled, regardless of a change in laws in South Korea or wherever else might follow the country's lead. It also seems likely that the public shot firing between the two is set to continue. Between the Fortnite event depicting an apple as a villain and the various details revealed in court, this whole thing has been incredibly messy and very public.