Fortnite Set to Return to iPhones in U.S. After 5-Year Absence, Says Epic's Tim Sweeney

Fortnite is set 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 this exciting development after a U.S. Federal District Court in California determined that Apple had wilfully 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, a ruling Apple had not adhered to.

In response, Sweeney took to Twitter to propose a "peace proposal" to Apple, suggesting that if Apple were to implement the court's fee-free framework globally, Epic would bring Fortnite back to the App Store worldwide and cease all related litigation. "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 battle with Apple and Google over app store fees has been ongoing and well-documented. Epic's refusal to pay the standard 30% store fees led to Fortnite being pulled from iOS back in 2020. Sweeney has invested billions into this fight, viewing it as a long-term investment in Epic and Fortnite's future, as he shared with IGN in January. He remains committed to challenging the app store giants, even if it takes decades.

Following the recent court ruling, Sweeney celebrated the victory, tweeting, "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."

U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers has referred Apple and one of its executives, Alex Roman, to federal prosecutors for a criminal contempt investigation. This action was taken due to Apple's alleged non-compliance with the court's injunction, which Gonzalez Rogers described as non-negotiable. Apple responded by expressing strong disagreement with the decision but stated they would comply while planning to appeal.

Epic has made significant strides following multiple legal battles, with prior victories mainly in Europe through the region's Digital Markets Act. Last August, the Epic Games Store was 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, the process of getting these games running smoothly on mobile devices remains challenging, with "scare screens" deterring up to 50% of potential users, according to Epic.

Despite the financial strain and significant layoffs, including 830 employees (about 16% of the workforce) from Epic's North Carolina studio in September 2023, Sweeney reassured stakeholders in October last year that the company was "financially sound," with both Fortnite and the Epic Games Store achieving new records in "concurrency and success."