Fortnite is not coming back on iOS any time soon

In the hearing, Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers ruled against Epic Games' request for an injunction to get Fortnite reinstated.

Rogers said she has "empathy for Fortnite players regarding the continued unavailability of the game on the iOS platform...However, there is [a] significant public interest in requiring parties to adhere to their contractual agreements or in resolving business disputes through the normal course."

Despite denying injunction for Fortnite, the judge stood by her earlier decision and ruled in favor of an injunction that keeps Apple from taking any action against Epic's developer accounts or Unreal Engine, which is also used by several third-party titles.

She implied that allowing Apple to block the 3D gaming engine would have caused great damage to other developers using the tool.

This decision means Epic will continue to face restrictions over publishing on iOS and bringing back Fortnite, but its developer tools and broader business will not be affected.

The Fortnite restriction could be removed only in two cases: either Epic wins the trial over App Store practices, scheduled for next year, or it removes its own in-app payment mechanism that started the whole case.

Following the ruling, an Epic Games' spokesperson said, "Epic Games is grateful that Apple will continue to be barred from retaliating against Unreal Engine and our game development customers as the litigation continues."

They added, "We will continue to develop for iOS and Mac under the court's protection and we will pursue all avenues to end Apple's anti-competitive behavior."

On its part, Apple said, "Our customers depend on the App Store being a safe and trusted place where all developers follow the same set of rules."

"The court recognized that Epic's actions were not in the best interests of its own customers and that any problems they may have encountered were of their own making when they breached their agreement," the company added.