Fortnite Returns to Apple iPhones After 5-Year U.S. Ban

Following a major court ruling, Fortnite is set to make its comeback on the U.S. iOS App Store and iPhones next week, according to Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney.

On April 30th, a U.S. Federal District Court in California ruled that Apple deliberately violated a previous court order from the Epic Games v. Apple case. That order mandated Apple to allow developers to offer customers alternative, out-of-app payment methods.

In a tweet, Sweeney presented a "peace proposal" to Apple, the company Epic has been battling in court for years. "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 stated.

IGN reported in January on Sweeney's multi-billion dollar campaign against Apple and Google's app store practices. Sweeney explained to IGN that he viewed it as a strategic, long-term investment in Epic and Fortnite's future, asserting the company had the resources to continue the fight for decades if necessary.

Sweeney's protracted effort to restore Fortnite to iPhone and Android devices while bypassing platform fees is well known. The core issue is Epic's refusal to pay the standard 30% revenue cut to mobile storefronts. Instead, Epic aims to distribute games like Fortnite through its own Epic Games Store on mobile, free from Apple and Google's control and revenue share. This conflict originally led to Fortnite's removal from iOS in 2020.

Now, nearly five years later, Fortnite is finally scheduled to return in the United States.

In a separate tweet, Sweeney celebrated the court's decision: "NO FEES on web transactions. Game over for the Apple Tax.

“Apple’s 15-30% excessive fees are now as untenable here in the United States as they are in Europe under the Digital Markets Act. They are unlawful in both regions.”

Apple will now be referred to federal prosecutors for defying the U.S. court order. "Apple’s continued attempts to interfere with competition will not be tolerated," stated U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers. "This is an injunction, not a negotiation. There are no do-overs once a party willfully disregards a court order."

Judge Gonzalez Rogers referred both Apple and one of its executives, Alex Roman, Vice President of Finance, to federal prosecutors for a criminal contempt investigation regarding their conduct. The judge wrote that Roman's testimony about Apple's compliance efforts was "replete with misdirection and outright lies."

Apple responded with a statement: "we strongly disagree with the decision. We will comply with the court’s order and we will appeal."

After numerous expensive legal battles, Epic has achieved a major breakthrough; previously, its victories were largely confined to Europe under the region's Digital Markets Act.

In August of last year, the Epic Games Store launched on iPhones within the European Union and on Android devices globally, bringing Fortnite, Rocket League Sideswipe, and Fall Guys to mobile. However, Epic reports that the actual user experience for installing games like Fortnite on mobile remains problematic, with various "scare screens" deterring up to 50% of potential users.

Despite these legal expenditures, Epic has undergone significant staff reductions. In September 2023, the company laid off 830 employees, roughly 16% of its workforce. In October of last year, Sweeney affirmed the company was now “financially stable,” noting that both Fortnite and the Epic Games Store had achieved new records in user engagement and commercial performance.