Epic Games' ongoing feud with Apple over Fortnite's availability on iOS devices has escalated, with Epic alleging that Apple is obstructing its attempts to reintroduce the game to the U.S. App Store. Epic's CEO, Tim Sweeney, had previously announced that Fortnite would make a swift return to iOS devices in the U.S. following a crucial court decision.
On April 30, a U.S. Federal District Court in California ruled that Apple had deliberately breached a court order from the Epic Games v. Apple case. The order mandated Apple to allow developers to provide alternative payment options outside their apps.
Epic's Tim Sweeney remains steadfast in his mission to challenge Apple and Google, regardless of the time it takes. Photo by SeongJoon Cho/Bloomberg. Earlier this year, IGN highlighted Sweeney's significant financial commitment to this battle, with billions spent fighting Apple and Google over their app store policies. Sweeney views this as a strategic long-term investment in Epic and Fortnite's future, confidently stating that Epic could sustain this struggle for decades.
The core of the dispute revolves around Epic's refusal to pay the customary 30% store fees imposed by Apple and Google on mobile game revenues. Epic aims to distribute Fortnite through its own Epic Games Store on mobile platforms, circumventing the fees charged by Apple and Google. This disagreement led to Fortnite's exclusion from iOS in 2020.
Following Sweeney's optimistic tweet about Fortnite's return to iOS, Epic's plans have been thwarted. Epic recently informed IGN that "Apple has blocked our Fortnite submission so we cannot release to the US App Store or to the Epic Games Store for iOS in the European Union. Now, sadly, Fortnite on iOS will be offline worldwide until Apple unblocks it."
The situation has severely impacted Epic, costing them billions in revenue since Fortnite was removed from iPhones five years ago. In a direct appeal, Sweeney tweeted at Apple CEO Tim Cook, urging him to reconsider: "Hi Tim. How about if you let our mutual customers access Fortnite? Just a thought."Hi Tim. How about if you let our mutual customers access Fortnite? Just a thought.
— Tim Sweeney (@TimSweeneyEpic) May 15, 2025
Following the court's decision, Apple faced further legal repercussions, with U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers referring Apple and one of its executives, Alex Roman, to federal prosecutors for potential criminal contempt. The judge criticized Apple's actions as deliberate non-compliance with the court order, stating, "This is an injunction, not a negotiation. There are no do-overs once a party willfully disregards a court order."
Apple responded to the ruling with a statement expressing disagreement but a commitment to compliance and an intent to appeal. Recently, Apple sought a pause on the ruling from the U.S. appeals court in the Epic Games case.
