Omari Gates
Fortnite has faced scrutiny in Australia, with concerns raised about its impact on children and its availability on certain platforms. While there were speculations about a potential ban, these were not based on official statements or concrete evidence. In 2025, Epic Games, the developer of Fortnite, won a partial victory in Australian courts against Apple and Google, challenging their control over in-app purchases. As a result, Fortnite returned to iOS in Australia, but it remains unavailable for direct download on the App Store.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Is Fortnite illegal in Australia? | No, but it was kicked off the Google and Apple app stores in 2020. |
| Why was it removed from the app stores? | Epic Games offered its own in-app payment system that bypassed the one used by the platforms, cutting out the fees Apple and Google receive for in-app payments. |
| What happened after it was removed? | Epic Games launched legal action against Apple and Google in multiple jurisdictions, including Australia. |
| What was the outcome of the legal action? | In August 2025, Epic Games won a partial victory in the Australian Federal Court, with the court ruling that Apple and Google had broken the law by misusing their market power. |
| What does this mean for Fortnite's availability in Australia? | Fortnite will return to iOS in Australia, but it is still unavailable to download except on Android via sideloading. |
| Are there any other concerns about Fortnite being banned in Australia? | There have been concerns that Fortnite could be included in Australia's social media ban for users under the age of 16 due to its social features, but there is no evidence to suggest this will happen. |
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What You'll Learn
Fortnite removed from Apple and Google app stores
Fortnite, the popular online video game with hundreds of millions of registered players, was removed from the Apple and Google app stores in 2020. The game's developer, Epic Games, had offered its own in-app payment system, bypassing the platforms' payment gateways and cutting out the fees that Apple and Google receive for in-app payments. Both Apple and Google charge a 30% fee for in-app sales, while Epic's store charges developers a lower 12% fee.
Epic Games responded by launching legal action against Apple and Google in multiple jurisdictions, including Australia. In Australia, Epic Games alleged that Apple's control over in-app purchases and prevention of alternative app stores on iOS were a misuse of market power and substantially lessened competition. Similarly, Epic claimed that Google harmed app developers and consumers in Australia by limiting choices over app distribution and in-app payments on Android devices.
As a result of Epic's actions, both Apple and Google removed Fortnite from their respective app stores. Apple stated that Epic had violated its App Store guidelines, which are designed to keep the store safe for users. Google also mentioned that Fortnite was removed due to violations of its policies, but it welcomed the opportunity to continue discussions with Epic to bring Fortnite back to the Google Play Store.
While Fortnite was removed from the official app stores, it was still available on Android devices through side-loading or Epic's independent app launcher. Users who had already installed Fortnite on iOS or Android could continue playing, but they would not receive app updates.
In August 2025, Epic Games won a partial victory in the Australian federal court against Apple and Google. Fortnite has returned to the Apple app store in the US, and it is available through the Epic Games app store in Europe. However, the app remains unavailable for download in Australia except on Android via side-loading. This judgment is considered a turning point, sending a message that corporations must respect the rights of consumers and developers.
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Parents' concerns about violence and nudity
Fortnite is rated T for Teen (13+), but it may be suitable for younger children with parental controls enabled to restrict chat and in-app purchases. The game features cartoon-style violence that may not bother teens, but younger players may still need supervision. Parents can disable chat, filter language, limit purchases, and monitor playtime via Fortnite’s built-in parental controls. Fortnite is generally safe for tweens and teens, but parents should use parental controls to shield their children from unwanted interactions with strangers.
Fortnite is famous for including pop culture references in their game. Spider-Man, John Wick, Marvel characters, Star Wars, Halo, Marvel, and more. They are always adding unique and rather relevant characters and themes into their game for limited amounts of time to keep users engaged. However, some of the pop culture references chosen come from shows or movies that are highly inappropriate for children (John Wick, Rick & Morty, Family Guy, etc.). Curious kids might search for where the characters come from and find it online. Parents should have conversations about what is featured in Fortnite at the time.
Fortnite also features songs that contain curses, sexual themes, and references to drugs and alcohol. The Teen rating with explicit songs is concerning. However, this can be disabled with Fortnite's parental controls. Parents should be sure to look at each song, check out the lyrics, and determine which ones are appropriate for their child.
Fortnite does not feature nudity or sex. However, some emotes may be sexualized and can make your character do sexual things with other players in the game. The Party Hips emote is similar to twerking. If you're wearing a character with a skirt, you can look up its skirt and see their underwear.
Fortnite is rated M in Australia, but some believe it should be PG because you are a hologram and you don't feel pain. When you die, you are turned into pixels and a drone picks you up.
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Speculation about a ban due to the FTC lawsuit
Fortnite has faced scrutiny in Australia due to concerns about its impact on children and its compliance with local regulations. While there has been no official ban on the game in the country, there have been speculations and discussions about potential restrictions, especially in light of a lawsuit filed by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in the United States.
In June 2025, the FTC issued refunds totalling $126 million to Fortnite players in the US who had been charged for unwanted in-game purchases. The refunds were part of a settlement with Epic Games, the developer of Fortnite, which agreed to pay $245 million to resolve allegations of deceptive billing practices. The FTC accused Epic Games of unlawfully charging players for unwanted purchases, allowing children to make unauthorised charges, and blocking users who disputed wrongful charges from accessing their content.
The FTC's lawsuit and settlement in the US raised questions about Fortnite's practices in other countries, including Australia. There were concerns that similar deceptive billing practices could be affecting Australian players, leading to speculation that Epic Games might face legal consequences or restrictions in the country.
While there has been no confirmation of an official investigation or legal action against Epic Games in Australia regarding the FTC lawsuit, the speculation about a potential ban or increased regulatory scrutiny has been present in the Australian gaming community and media. Some players and industry observers discussed the possibility of Epic Games facing similar lawsuits or regulatory actions in Australia, especially if evidence emerged of widespread unauthorised charges or deceptive practices affecting Australian players.
It is important to note that as of August 2025, Fortnite remains available in Australia, although it faced a brief removal from the Google and Apple app stores in 2020 due to a separate dispute between Epic Games and the tech giants over in-app payment systems. That dispute was resolved with a partial victory for Epic Games in the Australian courts, allowing Fortnite to return to the app stores.
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Australian media's criticism of violent content
Australia has a history of banning video games that are deemed inappropriate by the Australian Classification Board (ACB). While Fortnite has not been banned, it has received criticism from Australian media outlets for its violent content and negative impact on children.
In 2018, Australian tabloid news show 'A Current Affair' ran a segment on Fortnite, portraying it as a "violent game" that was turning children into "video game-addicted killing machines". The show was criticised on Reddit for fearmongering and spreading misinformation, with some users pointing out the lack of evidence linking violent video games to aggressive behaviour.
In 2022, Australian TV news show 'The Today Show' also came under fire for claiming that violent games like Fortnite increase aggressive behaviour and a lack of empathy in players. This sparked backlash on Twitter, with many users questioning the accuracy of the report and citing studies that disprove the link between violent games and aggression.
Australian media has also expressed concern over the addictive nature of Fortnite and its impact on children's social lives and school performance. A column in the Sydney Morning Herald warned that "parents are losing their sons to Fortnite", with the game causing feuds among mothers and affecting children's popularity at school.
While some experts and school principals support stricter regulations, others argue that banning children from social games like Fortnite would be a mistake. They emphasise the positive aspects of gaming, including its contribution to children's social lives, learning, and personal growth. Additionally, critics of the proposed ban highlight the ineffectiveness of blanket prohibition approaches and advocate for collaboration between the government and gaming platforms to create safer digital environments for children.
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Fortnite's return to iOS in Australia
Fortnite is set to make a return to iOS in Australia after a federal court ruled that Apple and Google broke competition law by banning Epic Games, the developer of Fortnite, from their app stores. The case was heard over four months and centred around Epic Games' introduction of its own in-app payment system, which bypassed the platforms' payment systems and the fees they receive for in-app payments.
In response to the ruling, Epic Games stated that its app store and Fortnite will come to iOS in Australia, but noted that there were 2,000+ pages of findings to review. Apple has strongly disagreed with the ruling, and it is currently appealing the US court ruling that forced it to change its domestic App Store rules.
While Fortnite has faced criticism in Australia for its violent content and potential negative impact on children, there has been no official statement from any government body regarding a ban. The game has a dedicated player base in the country, with some Australian players expressing concerns about a potential ban.
The return of Fortnite to iOS in Australia is a significant development in Epic Games' global legal campaign against Apple's App Store policies. It remains to be seen whether Epic Games will introduce its own in-app payment system in Australia and if so, how Australian players will respond to this alternative payment option.
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Frequently asked questions
No, Fortnite is not illegal in Australia. However, it was removed from the Google and Apple app stores in 2020 after Epic Games, the developer of Fortnite, offered its own in-app payment system that bypassed the one used by the platforms.
Fortnite was removed from the Apple and Google app stores because Epic Games offered its own in-app payment system, cutting out the fees that Apple and Google would usually receive for in-app payments.
Yes, Epic Games fought the removal by launching legal action against Apple and Google in multiple jurisdictions, including Australia.
Yes, in August 2025, Epic Games won a partial victory in the Australian Federal Court. Fortnite will return to iOS in Australia, although Apple has stated that they "strongly disagree" with the ruling.
There have been concerns that Fortnite could fall under Australia's social media ban legislation, which seeks to ban children under the age of 16 from social media. There have also been petitions from parents to ban Fortnite in Australia due to concerns about violent content and negative impacts on children's behaviour. However, there has been no official statement from the Australian government regarding a ban on Fortnite.
