Exciting news for *Fortnite* fans in the U.S.—the game is set to return to iPhones and the iOS App Store next week following a major legal victory. Tim Sweeney, CEO of Epic Games, confirmed the development after a U.S. Federal District Court in California ruled that Apple intentionally violated a court order from the original *Epic Games v. Apple* case. That order required Apple to allow developers to offer alternative payment methods directly to users outside of in-app purchases.
In a tweet, Sweeney extended what he called a “peace proposal” to Apple, signaling an olive branch after years of intense courtroom battles. He stated, “If Apple extends the court's friction-free, Apple-tax-free framework worldwide, we'll return Fortnite to the App Store globally and drop current and future litigation on the topic.”
Back in January, IGN covered Sweeney’s costly mission to challenge both Apple and Google over mobile app store fees. At the time, he described the legal battle as a long-term investment in the future of Epic and *Fortnite*, confident the company could sustain the fight for decades if needed. His goal has always been clear: bring *Fortnite* back to iOS and Android devices without being forced to pay the industry-standard 30% platform fee. Instead, Epic wants to run its own mobile store—free from interference—and keep more control over its revenue model.
This dispute famously led to *Fortnite* being removed from iOS in 2020. Now, nearly five years later, American players will once again be able to download the game directly through the App Store.
Sweeney celebrated the recent court decision with another tweet: “NO FEES on web transactions. Game over for the Apple Tax.” He also pointed out how this win aligns with previous victories in Europe under the Digital Markets Act, calling Apple’s 15–30% fees “unlawful” both in the U.S. and abroad.
The ruling was not just a slap on the wrist for Apple. U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers referred the company—and one of its executives, Alex Roman, Vice President of Finance—to federal prosecutors for criminal contempt. She accused Apple of deliberately disregarding the court’s injunction and said, “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.”
In response, Apple issued a statement saying, “We strongly disagree with the decision. We will comply with the court’s order and we will appeal.”
For Epic, this marks a significant milestone after years of legal battles and financial strain. Previously, most of its wins had come in Europe, where the launch of the Epic Games Store allowed *Fortnite*, *Rocket League Sideswipe*, and *Fall Guys* to reach mobile users. However, launching on mobile platforms remained challenging due to user interface hurdles like “scare screens,” which reportedly discouraged up to half of potential players.
Epic has also faced internal challenges, including layoffs affecting around 830 employees (roughly 16% of its workforce) in September 2023. Despite that, Sweeney emphasized in October that the company remains “financially sound,” with both *Fortnite* and the Epic Games Store setting new records in performance and user engagement.
