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Is Fortnite Mobile returning to Apple App Store?

The verdict has been issued for the Epic Games vs Apple lawsuit, but what does this mean for the future of Fortnite Mobile on the App Store?

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It’s been over a year since Fortnite Mobile was removed from the Apple App Store, and here’s what we know about its return.

Updated 9/22/2021 – Following an appeal submitted by Epic Games, Apple has confirmed “Fortnite will be blacklisted from the Apple Ecosystem until the exhaustion of all court appeals.” Tim Sweeney, CEO of Epic Games, believes this process could take up to 5 years.

On August 13, 2020, Apple removed Fortnite Mobil removed from the App Store. This was because Epic Games added a third-party payment option which is against Apple TOS.

The direct payment method allowed players to pay Epic Games directly in exchange for V-Bucks. Epic incentivized this method of payment by discounting all purchases made directly to Epic Games.

Epic Games filed a lawsuit against Apple with claims the App Store is an anti-competitive marketplace. The Court has finally issued the verdict following a lengthy court process. However, what does this mean for the future of Fortnite Mobile?

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Epic Games vs Apple lawsuit verdict

After over a year of legal battle and long wait times, the court has finally issued a verdict in the Epic Games vs Apple lawsuit. The court has decided that “Epic Games overreached” and it sided with Apple on almost all accounts.

The court did not find Apple as an “antitrust monopolist in the submarket” for mobile gaming. The verdict states, “The Court finds in favor of Apple on all counts except with respect to violation of California’s Unfair Competition law and only partially with respect to its claim for Declaratory Relief.

However, the Court is forcing Apple to allow direct purchasing methods which is why Fortnite was banned in the first place. A court document reads, “Apple… are hereby permanently restrained and enjoined from prohibiting developers from including in their apps and their metadata button, external links, or other calls to action that direct customers to purchasing mechanisms, in addition to In-App Purchasing.

Due to the loss, Epic Games has to pay Apple 30% of $12+ million in damages. While Epic Games may have lost, mobile game developers won as a whole. Direct Purchasing will allow developers to make more money from microtransactions.

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Is Fortnite Mobile coming back to Apple App Store?

The official Fortnite Twitter announced that it has requested to have its developer account restored by Apple. However, Apple denied this request stating it would only reinstate the account “if they agree to play by the same rules as everyone else.”

Tim Sweeney, CEO and Founder of Epic Games, doesn’t seem to want to comply. Twitter user imgoldenyt offered a solution that could allow Fortnite to return to iOS. Sweeney responded by saying “I read all of this. I just disagree.”

In a separate tweet, Sweeney claims that the ruling is not a win for developers or consumers. He goes on to state that “Fortnite will return to the iOS App Store when and where Epic can offer in-app payment in fair competition with Apple in-app payment.”

However, on September 22, 2021, Tim Sweeney sent an email to Apple stating that Epic Games would remove its direct payment method. The email once again requested Epic’s developer account to be reinstated.

This tweet from Tim Sweeney shows the email sent to apple from Epic Games.

However, apple once again denied Epic Games’ request. In response back, Apples states that it will “not consider any further requests for reinstatement until the district court’s judgment becomes final and non-appealable.”

In short, Fortnite will be blacklisted from the Apple Ecosystem until the exhaustion of all court appeals. Sweeney believes this process could take up to 5 years.

So it seems that Fortnite won’t be returning to the Apple App Store anytime soon. Apple doesn’t have to reinstate Epic Games’ developer account even though Epic Games is willing to comply with the rules. Sadly, mobile player may have to wait years before Fortnite returns to the App Store.

For more Fortnite, check out when and how to watch the end-of-season event, and stay tuned for more news and guides.

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Fortnite adds new movement mechanics to Save The World with v21.20 update

Finally Epic Games have added major updates to its PvE Save The World campaign with the latest v21.20 update. Here’s the latest on that.

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After a long time finally, Fortnite’s PvE campaign Save the World receives major updates with v21.20 and players cannot be happier. It has been almost a year since the game received an update with the latest game mechanics and things are looking good for the game mode more than ever.

Save The World campaign has been around in Fortnite ever since its initial days. Some OG players would say that the game mode itself was the actual Fortnite and still is due to its originality in the storyline and the classic graphics it boasts.

During Chapter 2 of the Battle Royale game mode, players slowly parted ways with Save The World, once it came out of Early Access and was accessible to anyone who bought a special cosmetic pack from the Item Shop. As a result, Epic also stopped updating the game mode with the latest mechanics and features and instead shifted its focus to Battle Royale.

But ever since the launch of Chapter 3, when Epic decided to add animals to the PvE campaign, players were hoping to finally get some latest Sprint, Mantle, and Crouch mechanics to the game mode soon enough. Looks like the day has finally arrived and Epic has indeed added some major updates to the game mode.

Epic adds new Movement Mechanics to Save The World in the latest update

Save The World game mode has just received a major update in the form of the latest movement mechanics as Sprinting, Sliding, Mantling, Crouching, and Shoulder Bashing Doors gets added to it. Now players can use the latest movement mechanics they have been using in Battle Royale game mode in Save The World and fight the Husk Monsters in their own unique way.

Fortnite also posted some clips on their official blog alongside the Homebase Status report v21.20 of how players can use the Ninja hero in their loadout and climb greater heights by combining the mantle feature with a double jump.

In addition to these features, Epic also added Fennix as the next hero to enter the PvE campaign and has given a dedicated questline called Flight of the Fennix to the character. Players can now jump in the game and complete quests linked to Fennix to acquire the hero in their loadout and use its ferocious powers to Save The World.

As Epic continues to improve the stability of its Battle Royale and Creative game modes, it is surely pleasing to see that finally Save The World is receiving a similar treatment with major changes being made to improve its gameplay experience. Nevertheless, the player base speculates in the coming days the PvE will also receive the popular Overshield feature as they experience in Zero Build as well as some new weapons added to their loadout.

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What are Social Tags in Fortnite Season 3 and how to use them?

Social Tags are finally here in Fortnite and players can connect with random players across the world based on their preferences. Here’s how you can use them.

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Fortnite Season 3 has introduced players to several new features, a new UI and a more colorful island to drop in. One of these most awaited and heavily rumored features was Social Tags. Now that it’s finally here, players are loving how it adds their in-game personality to their profile.

Loopers are enjoying every bit about the latest Chapter 3 Season 3. From ballers, exciting new POIs, the brand new Reality Sapling loot system, all the new additions accompany one another in a perfect manner.

However, the user interface options in Fortnite have stayed stagnant for a long period of time and required a major overhaul with the evolution of the gameplay. With the addition of Explore and game playlists options earlier this year, Epic showed its player base about the potential of what Fortnite can be.

In addition to all these features, something felt missing that allowed players to connect with other active players who have similar interests and the way they play Fortnite. Enter Social Tags which were added in the most recent v21.10 update. Here’s what they are and how you can use them.

Use Social Tags to define your choices and find similar players in Fortnite

Social Tags in Fortnite are basically name tags you can add to your Fortnite profile on the sidebar section. These tags signify how you play Fortnite and you can get recommendations on the Explore Menu of similar experiences.

If you enjoy a certain Battle Royale or Creative mode, you can add a tag for it. One player at max, can add 3 tags to their profile. It could be a mix of Creative, Battle Royale which bbasically have gameplay modes and Miscellaneous which has more options like Chill, Quests, Mic On etc.

To apply Social Tags to your profile, do the following steps:

  1. Click on your profile icon in the left sidebar.
  2. Select +Add Tag option on your profile.
  3. Add social tags from the list available there.
  4. Save and confirm the selected tags. (Max 3)

Once assigned, they will show up on your profile and would tell others how you choose to play Fortnite. Furthermore, you can head to Looking For A Party option on the left sidebar, right above settings to search for random players who play Fortnite the way you do.

It will then show a list of players who are active currently in-game and are in the lobby with how many players. Moreover, you can send them a party invite or a request to join your party. You can also choose to turn off this option.

This feature promotes healthy connectivity between players who play Fortnite in a similar way and helps prevent toxicity between Casuals and Sweats in the game. Additionally, it creates a healthy divide between the two communities if one enjoys grinding Arenas while others purely enjoy Public matches.

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How to get the Skate Park Royalty STW pack in Fortnite Season 3

New Season, New Save The World pack hits the Item Shop. Here’s how you can get it.

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Fortnite’s seasonal Save The World packs always offer a great cosmetic item, a bunch of V-Bucks and access to the exclusive PVE campaign that OG players still love. This season brings a fresh cosmetic Skate Park Royalty pack to the shop and loopers are digging it’s vibe.

Ever since Save The World came out of Early Access, it has been fairly accessible to all players alike as it comes along with a separate item shop pack which not only offers the game, but rewards that loopers can use in Battle Royale modes as well. Gone are the days when upon purchasing a STW pack used to give daily V-Bucks to players and Bonus Quests where they could farm V-Bucks.

As some would say the game mode is nearly dead, Fortnite keeps updating its world every once in a while and keeps on fixing its issues so it stays intact with its niche community of players. From adding animals to the game to introducing new Loot Llamas, Epic has been putting in the work to keep the game alive while they can.

However, the only thing about the mode that attracts the player base is the bonus cosmetics and V-Bucks a player gets upon purchasing the game mode. With the launch of Season 3, where the island is colorful and loopers are vibing, a skater appears in the latest STW pack.

Fortnite releases Skate Park Royalty Pack to Season 3

Fortnite announced the latest Save The World pack this season named Skate Park Royalty Pack. The pack includes cosmetics like the Toni outfit, Ollie Oop Backbling, Inline Impacter Pickaxe which are all skate themed.

Moreover, the pack rewards the players with an exclusive access to Save the World PVE Campaign as well as a whopping 1500 V-Bucks to use across all game modes. However, the price of the pack is $15.99 USD (US) | £12.99 Pound Sterling (UK) .

Loopers can purchase this pack from Epic Games Store or the Fortnite Item Shop. The pack received positive reviews from the player base and pros who are regular buyers of STW packs and stands its reputation alongside Metal Team Leader and more OG STW skins.

However, the future seems bright for Save the World players as features like Gyro and Flick Stick and Vault/Sprint are yet to be added to the game, which might be a possibility soon. Although more will be revealed later this season as the first update v21.10 drops today.

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