"Epic's Tim Sweeney Announces Fortnite's Return to U.S. iPhones After 5-Year Ban"

Fortnite is set to make a triumphant return to the U.S. iOS App Store and iPhones next week, following a landmark court ruling, announced 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. This order mandated Apple to allow developers to offer alternative payment methods outside their apps.

In a tweet, Sweeney proposed a "peace proposal" to Apple, with whom Epic has been engaged in legal battles 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.

Sweeney's determination to bring Fortnite back to mobile devices while avoiding the standard 30% store fees imposed by Apple and Google is well-documented. Epic's preference is to utilize its own mobile store, the Epic Games Store, to distribute games like Fortnite without the interference and fees from Apple and Google. This conflict led to Fortnite's removal from iOS back in 2020.

In January, IGN reported on Sweeney's substantial financial commitment to challenging Apple and Google's app store practices. Sweeney described this as a long-term investment in Epic and Fortnite's future, confident that Epic could sustain the legal battle for decades if necessary.

Following the recent court ruling, Sweeney celebrated the decision in another tweet, stating, "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 is now facing referral to federal prosecutors for violating the U.S. court order. U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers emphasized, "Apple’s continued attempts to interfere with competition will not be tolerated. This is an injunction, not a negotiation. There are no do-overs once a party willfully disregards a court order." Gonzalez Rogers also referred Apple and its vice president of finance, Alex Roman, to federal prosecutors for a criminal contempt investigation due to misleading testimony about compliance with her injunction.

In response, Apple stated, "we strongly disagree with the decision. We will comply with the court’s order and we will appeal."

Epic has made significant strides after numerous costly legal battles, with previous victories primarily in Europe under the Digital Markets Act. Last August, the Epic Games Store launched on iPhones in the European Union and on Android devices worldwide, featuring games like Fortnite, Rocket League Sideswipe, and Fall Guys for mobile. However, Epic has faced challenges in getting Fortnite running smoothly on mobile devices, citing "scare screens" that deter up to 50% of potential users.

Throughout this period, Epic has experienced significant layoffs, with 830 employees, or about 16% of its workforce, being let go from its North Carolina studio in September 2023. Despite these challenges, Sweeney reassured in October last year that the company was now "financially sound," with both Fortnite and the Epic Games Store achieving new records in "concurrency and success."

Epic's Tim Sweeney remains committed to challenging Apple and Google, no matter how long it takes. Photo by SeongJoon Cho/Bloomberg.

Fortnite's return to iPhones in the U.S. marks a significant milestone, nearly five years after its removal. Photographer: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images.