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Yes—but only in a narrow, EU-specific sense. On July 5, 2024, Epic said Apple had accepted its previously rejected notarization submission for the Epic Games Store on iPhone and iPad in the European Union. That was not a normal App Store approval, a worldwide opening of iOS, or proof that Fortnite was already available. Epic also said Apple still wanted interface changes in a future version, so the dispute was not over.
What Apple accepted
The accepted item was Epic’s notarization submission for an alternative app marketplace—not a request to list the Epic Games Store in Apple’s App Store.
The distinction matters:
- App Store review covers apps distributed through Apple’s App Store.
- Notarization is Apple’s security and integrity-checking process for software distributed through certain alternative channels in the EU.
- An alternative app marketplace is a storefront that can distribute other apps, rather than merely one standalone app.
Apple’s developer documentation says alternative distribution in the EU remains subject to notarization and other technical requirements. Apple’s EU developer guidance explains how the process differs from ordinary App Store distribution.
Why Epic’s submission had been rejected
According to Epic, Apple rejected the Epic Games Store notarization submission twice before accepting it. Epic said Apple objected to similarities between:
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Epic argued that these were familiar, descriptive terms used by other platforms and consistent with common iPhone interface conventions. The company characterized the rejections as arbitrary and obstructive and said it had raised the matter with the European Commission.
Those claims should be understood as Epic’s allegations. The available reporting does not independently establish that Apple’s design objections violated the Digital Markets Act (DMA).
After the public dispute, Epic said Apple accepted the submission. That made the July 5 announcement real, but it did not settle whether Apple’s requirements were proportionate or lawful.
Was the acceptance unconditional?
No clear evidence supports describing it as a permanent, unconditional approval.
Epic CEO Tim Sweeney said Apple was telling reporters that the acceptance was temporary and that Epic would be expected to change the buttons in a later version. Epic objected that the requested changes could make its store less familiar or harder to use.
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The most accurate description is therefore: Apple accepted Epic’s current EU notarization submission, while the companies continued to disagree over interface requirements for future versions.
That is different from saying Apple completely backed down. It is also different from saying Apple permanently approved the Epic Games Store without conditions.
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The legal basis for Epic’s alternative iOS marketplace was the European Union’s Digital Markets Act. Under Article 6(4), designated gatekeepers must allow and technically enable users to install and effectively use third-party software applications or app marketplaces using or interoperating with their operating systems.
Apple has been designated as a gatekeeper for services including iOS, iPadOS and the App Store. In response to the DMA, Apple introduced EU-specific mechanisms for alternative app distribution while retaining security, eligibility and notarization requirements.
The European Commission’s explanation of app distribution under the DMA describes the requirement for effective alternatives to Apple’s App Store. Apple’s own DMA information and support documentation explain the company’s EU distribution framework.
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The result was geographically limited. The July 2024 development applied to eligible iPhone and iPad users in the EU. It did not give users in the United States, the United Kingdom or other regions a general right to install the Epic Games Store through the same process.
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What this meant for Fortnite
Epic planned to use the Epic Games Store to distribute Fortnite on EU iPhones and iPads outside Apple’s App Store. The accepted marketplace submission was an important milestone because Epic needed a functioning, authorized alternative store before it could distribute games through that channel.
But several steps remained between acceptance and a playable Fortnite installation:
- Apple accepts or notarizes the marketplace submission.
- The marketplace becomes available through the EU alternative-distribution flow.
- Epic lists Fortnite in its store.
- Users install the marketplace and approve the relevant installation prompts.
- Fortnite becomes downloadable and playable through that marketplace.
The July 5 report established the first point and indicated progress toward the others. It did not prove that Fortnite was already downloadable through the Epic Games Store that day.
Epic said it was ready to launch the store and Fortnite in the EU within the following months if Apple did not create further obstacles. “Ready to launch” was a plan and assessment from Epic, not confirmation of immediate availability.
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Alternative distribution does not mean no Apple security checks
Apple’s EU rules did not eliminate all review or integrity controls. Apps distributed through alternative channels remain subject to notarization and platform-security requirements, although notarization is a distinct process from App Store review.
That means the DMA did not create a system in which Apple had to accept every app or marketplace without conditions. The continuing legal and policy question was whether Apple’s requirements—such as the disputed interface changes—were legitimate security or usability measures, or unnecessary barriers to competition.
Users may also encounter eligibility requirements, region restrictions and operating-system-specific installation screens. Apple says the exact experience depends on the user’s location and supported software version. Its official support page is the appropriate source for current installation rules, rather than a 2024 news report.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How this fit into the Epic–Apple dispute
The conflict dates back to 2020, when Epic introduced an alternative payment mechanism in Fortnite. Apple removed Fortnite from the App Store, and Epic sued over Apple’s App Store rules, payment requirements and anti-steering restrictions.
That U.S. litigation and the EU DMA process are related background, but they are not the same legal event. A U.S. court decision did not itself create a general U.S. right to install third-party iOS app stores. The EU alternative-marketplace framework came primarily from the DMA and Apple’s compliance measures.
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Later U.S. litigation filings, including proceedings reflected in the Supreme Court docket, should also be kept separate from the July 2024 notarization announcement. A later court filing does not, by itself, establish whether Apple’s EU acceptance was permanent, whether Fortnite launched through the store, or whether the disputed interface requirements violated EU law.
What readers should not infer
- Not a worldwide opening: the change concerned Apple’s EU alternative-distribution framework.
- Not a normal App Store listing: Epic’s store was accepted through notarization for alternative distribution.
- Not clearly unconditional: Epic said Apple still wanted future interface changes.
- Not proof Fortnite was live: store acceptance and game availability were separate milestones.
- Not the end of the dispute: Epic and Apple still disagreed over the review process, design requirements and broader platform rules.
The bottom line on Apple’s “acceptance”
Epic was correct that Apple had accepted its previously rejected Epic Games Store notarization submission on July 5, 2024. But the precise meaning was limited: Apple accepted a specific submission for an EU alternative marketplace, not a global third-party App Store and not an unconditional end to the Epic–Apple conflict.
For users, the practical consequence was a path toward installing the Epic Games Store—and eventually Fortnite—on eligible iPhones and iPads in the EU. It was a regulatory milestone, not confirmation that every iPhone user could immediately download Fortnite.
Because Apple’s alternative-distribution rules and user flows can change, current availability should be checked against Apple’s latest EU documentation and Epic’s current announcements rather than inferred from this July 2024 event.
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