The most current version of Fortnite isn’t coming to iPhones anytime soon after a judge upheld Apple’s decision to remove it from the App Store. Players who already had the game installed can still access it, but it’s currently a very different game than what’s available on other devices.
The most obvious difference when booting up Fortnite is that the game is still in Chapter 2, Season 3. Players are dropped into the standard lobby and onto Season 3’s aquatic-themed map, which launched in June. The only notable difference is that the map screen displays “Season 0” in the top-left corner.
Console and PC players, on the other hand, have moved on to the Marvel-themed Season 4, which includes superheroes, a Helicarrier lobby, and themed-events around its new map. It feels flashy and high-budget next to Season 3.
The differences aren’t just seasonal. The Battle Pass tab is now grayed out on iPhone and cannot be opened at all. That means that mobile players no longer have a reward rail that grants prizes throughout the season.
Since there’s no Battle Pass, there are no XP points either. Usually, players gain XP points as they play, which go toward unlocking ranks on the Battle Pass. Daily Challenges that grant chunks of XP for completing tasks also no longer appear in the game. With these systems entirely removed, the mobile version of the game no longer has any sense of progression.
The Profile tab is not clickable as well, so players are no longer able to view their stats in game.
Despite all the missing pieces, Fortnite is still very much playable on iPhone. Players can jump into any game mode as they would normally. Even the shop is open, though Epic’s decision to change how players buy cosmetics is what got it removed in the first place.
Fundamentally, it’s still the exact same game, but it already feels outdated next to its console counterparts. Since Epic Games cannot update it, the app will look the way it does today unless Apple decides to reverse its ban. It’s stuck in Season 3 stasis, which highlights just how much Fortnite relies on exciting events and updates to stay relevant.
Players who still have the game installed on iOS or Android devices can take a look for themselves. Anyone who once had it, but has deleted it can still re-download the app.
