Fortnite Unblocked – Why is it Blocked & Can You Play Again?

Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the last few years, you’ve probably heard of Fortnite. It was released in 2017 and has since become a pop-culture phenomenon with over 350 million users.

Fortnite mixed up the usual formula however by adding building into the mix. Players can build structures to defend themselves, traverse the map or find new ways to attack their opposition. Making it a hit with the younger audience.

However, it hasn’t all been smooth sailing. On one front, parents, schools, and even some countries are attempting to block Fortnite on children’s devices to limit their screen time. 

On another and very public front, Apple and EPIC Games, Fortnite’s publisher, have gone to war. This has led to Fortnite being blocked on all Apple products. Which sucks.

As a gamer, all you want to do is play your favorite game. That’s why we’re here. We’re going to break it down in simple terms 

• Why Fortnite has been blocked. 
• Explain how long it’s going to be blocked for
• Offer some workarounds on how to unblock Fortnite

Also Read: Best Fortnite Anime Skins

Why is Fortnite Blocked and How do I Unblock It?

Apple vs EPIC Games

Over the last 12+ months, a war has been raging between Apple and EPIC Games, the publisher of Fortnite.

EPIC Games is worth about $30 billion dollars whilst Apple is sitting on around $2.5 trillion.

This difference in worth has led EPIC Gamers to paint the war as a David vs Goliath situation. Apple, on the other hand, has repeatedly stated that they’re only protecting themselves from an unjust attack.

However, this isn’t David vs Goliath. It’s more like Godzilla vs King Kong and consumers are getting trampled underneath.

So what’s the fight all about?

Money! Of course! If you’re an Apple user, you’ll be familiar with the App Store. Apple devices are part of a secure ecosystem, so the only way to download an App is through the Appstore.

Whenever you make an in-app purchase, you have to use Apple’s payment method and then Apple takes a cut.

So, for example, if you buy a Netflix membership or Fortnite V-bucks, the app developer gets some money and Apple takes a cut. This can vary a little but it’s around 30%.

Other online shopfronts like the Google app store or the PlayStation and Xbox console apps work the same way. Whenever you pay for a game or buy something in-game, they take a cut.

EPIC felt that Apple and Google were asking for a little too much, however, so they built a workaround.

They offered their direct payment option within the Fortnite app. If you used EPIC’’s payment option, you also saved money because you weren’t giving anything to Apple/ Google. 

Unsurprisingly, Apple and Google retaliated and started blocking updates to Fortnite. Google and EPIC made a deal and are playing nice now, but Fortnite is still unlisted on the Apple App store and can’t be updated.

EPIC Games PR team has been working overtime trying to make them look like the good guys. You can read their side here.

They make some good points about consumer rights and the monopolies Google and Apple hold over digital content. Just try to remember EPIC is also a company that makes billions by persuading children to waste money on micro-transactions. 

Likewise, Apple has been playing the victim but remember they’re a TRILLION dollar company. You shouldn’t feel too sorry for either side.

How long is Apple going to block Fortnite?

Both parties are locked in an ongoing legal battle in multiple countries. EPIC has reported Apple to regulatory bodies in several countries, which has led to antitrust investigations.

EPIC has also started up an impressive viral marketing campaign which has done a pretty good job at making Apple look like the bad guy.

However, the most important battle is the one raging in the US courts. 

So far, both sides had some minor wins. The court ruled that EPIC had failed to prove Apple was a monopoly, but it also ruled against some of Apple’s business practices, especially their extreme retaliation against EPIC.

Right now there’s no clear Victory Royale in view, and it’s more than likely there won’t be one. In the beginning, experts stated this was all a storm in a teacup that would quickly blow over.

Now? There’s no end in sight. Legal battles like this regularly go on for years. Some experts are saying it could take AT LEAST 5 years to get this case through the courts.

With this being the case, Apple users should probably start looking for some workarounds.

How to Make Fortnite Unblocked on Apple IOS Devices

If you have your heart set on playing Fortnite on your iPhone or iPad, there are a handful of routes available to you.

Right now these workarounds still work, but as the battle between the two parties keeps raging, there’s no guarantee how long they will stay open.

How to download Fortnite from the App store

If you played Fortnite on your device a while back but then deleted it, all is not lost. Apple can’t just go around deleting things you’ve “purchased”. It would be a consumer rights/ PR nightmare.

This means that as long as at some point you’ve played Fortnite on a device linked to your Apple account, you can get Fortnite back.

1. Open the App store on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Tap your profile photo on the top right to open your account information

3. Click/tap the purchased option. This will bring up a list of every app/ game you’ve installed on a device linked to your user account.

4. In the search bar, search for Fortnite.
5. Once you’ve found it, just click the download icon next to it.

Once it’s downloaded, just log into your Fortnite account like always and that’s it. You can play to your heart’s content.

How to download Fortnite on the App store even if you didn’t download it pre-block

So, our first option only works if you downloaded Fortnite in the past but then deleted it. 

What if you never played it on your Apple device pre-ban?

Well, there’s a relatively simple solution. However, you’ll need someone you REALLY trust who has downloaded Fortnite before.

Family Sharing is a feature on Apple devices that lets family members link their Apple accounts. This has an entire load of benefits, but the one we care about today is that it means you can share your purchases. 

1. Go into your account, but this time tap settings
2. Tap your name at the top and select Family Sharing
3. This gets a little in-depth, so follow the on-screen instructions to set up Family Sharing

4. Once it’s set up, tap Purchase Sharing and switch it on. 
5. Go back to the App Store and follow the previous steps to get to your purchased apps. 
6. Tap the shared person’s account who has Fortnite

7. Search for Fortnite in their apps
8. Click the download icon.

The family sharing workaround is great, but there are a couple of things you need to be mindful of.

To get this to work, you’ll have to share your payment info with the other party. This means they can then buy things from the App store using your money.

Second, part of Family Sharing is the ability to track each other’s phones. That could get a little creepy, so be sure to disable it.

With both of these options where you’re downloading straight from the App Store, you’re stuck playing an old version of Fortnite.

This version is now over a year old, so you’ll be missing out on any features/ bug fixes EPIC has come up with in the last year. This will make your experience less than ideal.

GeForce Now/ Streaming Fortnite

If the first two options aren’t viable, there’s one more solid workaround if you HAVE to play Fortnite on an Apple device.

GeForce Now is one of the big up-and-coming game streaming services. Using it, you can stream Fortnite straight to your iPhone or iPad without paying Apple a penny.

1. Game streaming requires a solid internet connection, so make sure you’re connected to one.
2. Visit GeForce Now, choose a membership tier that is best for you, and sign up. There is a free option.

3. Add GeForce Now to Safari

4. Once installation is complete, log in to your NVIDIA account.
5. Add Fortnite to your GeForce Now Library and start playing.

The great thing about this option is you’ll be playing full fat, up-to-date Fortnite, not a year-old outdated version. The free membership works well. As long as you have a solid internet connection, you can even plug in a controller.

The downside here is you’re streaming the game. This isn’t an ideal situation when playing a competitive shooter.

Input lag and latency may be higher than you’re used to, which could affect your performance. Still, it’s better than nothing.

How not to get Fortnite Unblocked

Unfortunately, this situation has led to some online sharks trying to make a quick buck. They know Fortnite has a dedicated fan base and they’re looking to profit from this.

Some scalpers are selling iPhones and iPads with Fortnite already installed on them for inflated prices. DO NOT fall for this scam.

First, you’ll end up overpaying. Second, you’ll have to leave the device logged into their account. Third, you don’t know what spyware/ malware they’ve installed.

DO NOT search for third-party download links for Fortnite. The chances of finding a download link that works and won’t just pump viruses onto your device are slim to none. 

DO NOT jailbreak your phone to bypass Apple’s block unless you’re very tech-savvy and know what you’re doing. People make jailbreaking sound amazing, but you’ll void your warranty and lose functionality on your phone.

Finally, stay clear of off-brand Fortnite/ Fortnite rip-offs like scuffed Fortnite and Fortnite scratch. There are lots of people advertising their products as Fortnite unblocked games.

These off-brand Fortnite games like Fortnite scratch are largely inferior quality, and no fun to play.

And, depending on where you download them from, you don’t know what kind of malware you’re opening your system up to.

How to Unblock Fortnite on your Local Connection

Besides Apple blocking of Fortnite, there is a second common form of Fortnite block that users have to contend with. Fortnite has two game modes and our tips will make both Fortnite games unblocked.

If you’re getting a connection error, like this

Or this

Then there is a good chance Fortnite has been blocked on your network. This most often happens because you’re trying to play Fortnite whilst at school, work, or at home and your parents have put a block on.

Schools and workplaces often block games like Fortnite for one of two reasons.

First, they want you to do your work or study. Schools don’t want their students to spend the school day playing games.

Likewise, workplaces are paying you to work, not play games. However, this can feel unfairly restrictive. What’s wrong with playing Fortnite during your breaks?

Well, that’s the second reason. Schools and workplaces don’t want their network bandwidth/ data limits being eaten up by people playing games. Imagine the lag on the WI-FI if everyone is playing games at the same time. 

So, they block their users from accessing EPIC’s servers. Since Fortnite is online-only, no servers = no game.

The easiest solution here is to download a VPN (Virtual Private Network). There’s a good chance you’ve heard of these before.

Lots of us use them when we’re doing naughty things on the internet that we don’t want to be tracked. 

All you need to do is choose a VPN and download it. Fortnite itself blocks many VPNs for anti-cheat reasons. I would suggest using Hotspot Shield. I’ve never had any problems with it.

If you’re on a work school/ device and can’t download apps, then the browser plug-in works just fine.

Once you have Hotspot or your VPN of choice installed, just click “connect”. Pretty much all VPN user interfaces are the same/ very similar. 

This will connect you to one of Hotspot Shields’ servers, bypassing your local network’s block.

Now just load up Fortnite as usual! It should be able to connect. If not, just connect and disconnect your VPN until it connects. 

Unfortunately, you may find that a connection through a VPN, especially a free one, isn’t quite as fast as your normal connection.

The only proper solution to this is to pay for a premium membership. Likewise, a connection through a VPN is often not as stable, so you might get disconnected occasionally.

You also need to be careful about getting caught. Unsurprisingly, if your parents/school catch you using a VPN, there’s a good chance you’ll face disciplinary action.

Same if you are caught using a VPN at work. Some schools and workplaces count using a VPN as network tampering so you could face some pretty stiff penalties, including losing your job. Use a VPN at your own risk.

If you have to play Fortnite at school or work, then using a VPN is your best bet. Just remember you use them at your own risk and the game experience may be less than ideal.

Also, don’t forget that you can use these tips to make all your favorite battle royale games unblocked.

Conclusion

It sucks when you want to play your favorite game and you can’t. It sucks, even more, when the reason for this is out of your control.

Hopefully, you’ve found our solutions helpful now you’ve unblocked Fortnite.

If you’re stuck using an Apple device, then the App Store or GeForce Now are your only safe options. GeForce Now especially is pretty great.

However, NVIDIA has also had problems getting the app onto Apple devices. We can’t be sure how long NVIDIA and Apple will keep playing ball. 

If you can’t use the App Store or GeForce Now, be incredibly wary of scams.

Don’t lower yourself to playing off-brand Fortnite games like Fortnite Scratch and other Fortnite ripoffs. Instead, it might be time to think about switching over to an Android phone or game console to play Fortnite unblocked.