Fortnite is set to make a triumphant return to the U.S. iOS App Store and iPhones next week, following a landmark court ruling, according to Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney. On April 30, a U.S. Federal District Court in California ruled that Apple had willfully violated a court order in the Epic Games v. Apple case, which mandated Apple to allow developers to provide alternative purchasing methods outside their apps.
In a tweet, Sweeney proposed a "peace proposal" to Apple, with whom Epic has been embroiled in legal battles for years. He stated, "If Apple extends the court's friction-free, Apple-tax-free framework worldwide, we'll return Fortnite to the App Store worldwide and drop current and future litigation on the topic."
Sweeney's determination to bring Fortnite back to iOS and Android devices without paying the customary 30% store fees has been a long-standing battle. Epic's preference is to operate Fortnite through its own Epic Games Store on mobile devices, sidestepping Apple and Google's fees. This conflict resulted in Fortnite being removed from iOS in 2020, but now, nearly five years later, it's poised to return to U.S. iPhones.
The court's decision eliminates fees on web transactions, which Sweeney celebrated, declaring, "NO FEES on web transactions. Game over for the Apple Tax. Apple’s 15-30% junk fees are now just as dead here in the United States of America as they are in Europe under the Digital Markets Act. Unlawful here, unlawful there."
Apple faces further legal consequences as U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers has referred Apple and one of its executives, Alex Roman, to federal prosecutors for a criminal contempt investigation due to their conduct in the case. The judge criticized Roman's testimony as "replete with misdirection and outright lies." Apple responded by stating their disagreement with the decision but their intention to comply and appeal.
Epic has made significant strides in its legal battles, previously seeing success in Europe through the Digital Markets Act. Last August, the Epic Games Store debuted on iPhones in the European Union and on Android devices globally, featuring games like Fortnite, Rocket League Sideswipe, and Fall Guys for mobile. However, implementing Fortnite on mobile devices remains challenging due to "scare screens" that deter up to 50% of users, according to Epic.
Despite the financial strain and significant layoffs, including 830 employees from the North Carolina studio in September 2023, Sweeney affirmed in October last year that Epic remains "financially sound," with both Fortnite and the Epic Games Store reaching new highs in "concurrency and success."
Epic's Tim Sweeney is determined to defeat Apple and Google, however long it takes. Photo by SeongJoon Cho/Bloomberg.
Fortnite is finally set to return to iPhones in the U.S., nearly five years after the game was pulled. Photographer: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images.
