Epic Games' Fortnite to Return to U.S. iPhones After Court Victory

Fortnite is poised to make its comeback on the U.S. iOS App Store and iPhones next week following a pivotal court decision, according to Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney.

On April 30, a California U.S. Federal District Court ruled that Apple deliberately violated a prior court order in the Epic Games v. Apple case, mandating Apple to allow developers to provide alternative payment options outside of apps.

In a post on X, Sweeney proposed a “peace plan” to Apple, with whom Epic has been in legal conflict for years. “If Apple applies the court’s seamless, tax-free framework globally, we’ll bring Fortnite back to the App Store worldwide and halt all current and future lawsuits on this issue,” Sweeney stated.

In January, IGN reported that Sweeney had invested billions in Epic’s legal battles against Apple and Google over their app store policies. Sweeney described the expenditure as a strategic investment in the future of Epic and Fortnite, emphasizing that Epic could sustain the fight for decades.

Sweeney’s campaign to restore Fortnite to iPhones and Android devices without paying app store fees is well-known. Epic aims to bypass the standard 30% store fees on mobile game revenue by operating Fortnite through its own Epic Games Store, free from Apple and Google’s profit cuts. This dispute led to Fortnite’s removal from iOS in 2020.

Now, nearly five years later, Fortnite is set to return to U.S. iPhones.

In another post, Sweeney celebrated the court’s decision: “No fees on web transactions. The Apple Tax is finished.”

“Apple’s 15-30% fees are now as obsolete in the U.S. as they are in Europe under the Digital Markets Act. Illegal here, illegal there,” he added.

Apple now faces a referral to federal prosecutors for breaching the U.S. court order. “Apple’s ongoing efforts to stifle competition will not be tolerated,” said U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers. “This is an injunction, not a discussion. There are no second chances for willfully ignoring a court order.”

Judge Gonzalez Rogers also referred Apple and its vice president of finance, Alex Roman, to federal prosecutors for a criminal contempt investigation, citing Roman’s testimony as “filled with misdirection and outright falsehoods.”

In response, Apple stated, “We strongly disagree with the ruling. We will comply with the court’s order and plan to appeal.”

After numerous costly legal battles, Epic has achieved significant progress, previously limited to Europe under the Digital Markets Act.

In August last year, the Epic Games Store launched on iPhones in the European Union and Android devices globally, featuring Fortnite, Rocket League Sideswipe, and Fall Guys for mobile. However, Epic noted that navigating “scare screens” deters up to 50% of users from installing these games.

Amid these efforts, Epic has faced substantial layoffs. In September 2023, the North Carolina-based studio cut 830 employees, roughly 16% of its workforce. In October, Sweeney affirmed that Epic remained “financially stable,” with Fortnite and the Epic Games Store achieving new records in engagement and success.