"Fortnite to Return to iPhones in U.S., Says Epic's Tim Sweeney"

Fortnite is poised to make a triumphant return to the U.S. iOS App Store and iPhones next week, following a pivotal court ruling. Epic Games CEO, Tim Sweeney, announced the news after 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 required Apple to allow developers to offer alternative payment methods outside of their apps.

In a tweet, Sweeney proposed a "peace proposal" to Apple, stating, “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.” This comes after years of legal battles between Epic and Apple over app store practices.

Sweeney's determination to bring Fortnite back to iPhones and Android devices without paying the standard 30% store fees has been a long-standing issue. Epic prefers to operate through its own Epic Games Store on mobile platforms, bypassing Apple and Google's fees. This conflict led to Fortnite being removed from iOS back in 2020. Now, nearly five years later, Fortnite is set to make a comeback in the U.S.

Following the court ruling, Sweeney celebrated the decision on Twitter, emphasizing that "NO FEES on web transactions" signified the end of the "Apple Tax." He likened the situation in the U.S. to that in Europe under the Digital Markets Act, calling the fees "unlawful" in both regions.

Apple's violation of the court order has led to the company and one of its executives, Alex Roman, being referred to federal prosecutors for a criminal contempt investigation. U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers was clear in her statement that "Apple’s continued attempts to interfere with competition will not be tolerated," emphasizing the seriousness of the injunction.

Apple responded with a statement expressing disagreement with the decision but confirmed they would comply with the court's order while planning to appeal.

Epic's efforts have not been without cost. The company faced significant layoffs, with 830 employees, or about 16% of its workforce, being let go from the North Carolina studio in September 2023. Despite these challenges, Sweeney maintained in October last year that Epic was "financially sound," with both Fortnite and the Epic Games Store achieving new records in "concurrency and success."

The Epic Games Store has already 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, getting these games operational on mobile devices remains challenging due to various deterrents, including "scare screens" that Epic claims deter up to 50% of potential users.

Epic's Tim Sweeney remains committed to challenging Apple and Google, determined to see the fight through to the end. Photo by SeongJoon Cho/Bloomberg.

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