After a number of years of authorized disputes, Fortnite is about to return to the U.S. App Retailer subsequent week. The choice follows a current courtroom ruling in favor of Epic Video games, ending a long-standing standoff between the sport developer and Apple over in-app fee techniques and platform insurance policies.
The dispute started in August 2020, when Apple eliminated Fortnite from the App Retailer. This motion got here after Epic Video games launched its personal direct fee system inside the app, bypassing Apple’s 30% fee payment—one thing Apple considers a violation of its App Retailer insurance policies. Since then, the 2 firms have been locked in a authorized battle, with important developments on each side through the years.
On April 30, Epic Video games CEO Tim Sweeney introduced on X (previously Twitter) that Fortnite will return to the U.S. App Retailer following a authorized victory in a California courtroom. The courtroom discovered that Apple had acted in unhealthy religion and engaged in anticompetitive conduct, significantly in relation to the way it handles on-line transactions on its platform.
We are going to return Fortnite to the US iOS App Retailer subsequent week.
Epic places forth a peace proposal: If Apple extends the courtroom’s friction-free, Apple-tax-free framework worldwide, we’ll return Fortnite to the App Retailer worldwide and drop present and future litigation on the subject. https://t.co/bIRTePm0Tv
— Tim Sweeney (@TimSweeneyEpic) April 30, 2025
The courtroom order said: “For the explanations set forth herein, the Court docket finds that Apple willfully violated the injunction issued by this Court docket in 2021, which goals to limit and prohibit Apple’s anticompetitive pricing and conduct. Apple’s continued efforts to intrude with competitors is not going to be tolerated.”
This marks a big shift in a authorized saga that started with Apple securing a partial win in 2021. Now, the most recent choice favors Epic Video games, although each firms should still revisit the courtroom as further proceedings unfold.
Earlier this 12 months, Epic had already signaled a comeback, stating in March that Fortnite would return to iOS in July. Nevertheless, with this new ruling, the timeline has been moved ahead, and US iOS customers can count on the sport to reappear as early as subsequent week.
This choice might have broader implications for App Retailer insurance policies and developer rights, because it challenges Apple’s long-standing management over in-app funds and opens the door for extra versatile fashions going ahead.
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