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Fortnite is still not coming back to the iOS App Store in Japan, despite years of legal pressure and regulatory changes aimed at opening Apple’s mobile ecosystem. Five years after Epic Games was removed from Apple’s storefront, the battle royale remains blocked from direct App Store distribution.

However, for Japanese iPhone users, Fortnite has quietly found its way back onto iOS through a different path.

Instead of returning to the App Store, Fortnite is now available via AltStore PAL, a newly approved third-party app marketplace operating under Japan’s updated iOS distribution rules. While the ban remains firmly in place, players finally have a legal and stable way to play Fortnite on iPhone again.

Apple’s App Store Ban Still Stands

Epic Games’ dispute with Apple dates back to 2020, when Fortnite was removed from the App Store following changes to its in-app payment system. Since then, Apple has continued to block Epic from publishing Fortnite on iOS through its official storefront.

That position has not changed in Japan. Despite new regulations forcing Apple to allow alternative app marketplaces, the company still maintains full control over what appears on the App Store itself. Fortnite remains excluded, and there is no indication Apple plans to reverse that decision anytime soon.

Epic Games Calls Out Fees and Warning Screens

Epic CEO Tim Sweeney has criticised Apple’s approach, claiming the company has replaced one form of control with another. According to Epic, Apple is charging a 21 percent fee on third-party in-app payments, alongside a 15 percent fee for purchases made on the web, practices Epic notes were previously ruled illegal by US courts.

Epic also alleges Apple is imposing a new 5 percent fee on all revenue generated by apps distributed through competing app stores, regardless of whether Apple is involved in the transaction.

In addition, Sweeney claims Apple is introducing warning screens designed to discourage users from using non-App Store payment systems, suggesting risks to privacy and financial security when dealing with competitors. Epic argues these warnings are misleading and anti-competitive.

Apple has also required third-party stores to report transactions through a mandatory API, a move Epic says allows Apple to monitor activity in competing marketplaces.

Epic Plans to Escalate the Dispute in Japan

Sweeney said Apple’s actions prevent real competition from emerging on iOS and limit consumer benefit. He added that Epic intends to raise its concerns with the Japanese Fair Trade Commission, escalating the dispute beyond technical compliance.

The comments mirror Epic’s broader global conflict with Apple over platform control, app distribution, and payment systems.

A Legal Return Through AltStore PAL

While the App Store remains closed, AltStore PAL has opened the door for Fortnite’s return on iOS in Japan. The third-party app store launched following Apple’s compliance with local regulations that require support for alternative app distribution, similar to changes introduced earlier in the European Union.

For the first time since 2020, Japanese players can install Fortnite on iPhone legally, without relying on exploits, modified app files, or temporary developer certificates. Fortnite is available through AltStore PAL as a properly signed app, making it a legitimate option for users running iOS 26.2 or later.

How This Differs From Previous Sideloading Methods

Before AltStore PAL, access to Fortnite on iOS in Japan existed almost entirely through unofficial methods. Some users sideloaded patched Fortnite IPA files using enterprise tools or developer accounts, but those solutions were unreliable.

Builds often expired, broke after system updates, or stopped working without warning. They also existed in a legal grey area that made long-term use risky.

AltStore PAL changes that dynamic. Fortnite can now be installed, updated, and maintained like a standard app, even though it remains unavailable on the App Store itself.

What This Means for Players

For players in Japan, Fortnite is once again playable on iPhone, which marks a major change after years of unofficial sideloading. Updates work normally, and there is no need for modified binaries or expiring certificates.

At the same time, Fortnite remains absent from the App Store, and Epic says Apple’s fees and restrictions mean the return is far from a true reopening of iOS.

For now, AltStore PAL is the only official route back to iOS for Fortnite in Japan, offering access with clear limitations still in place.