Epic Games' ongoing dispute with Apple over the distribution of Fortnite on iOS devices has escalated, with Epic alleging that Apple is obstructing its ability to release Fortnite on the U.S. App Store. This development follows a significant court ruling earlier this month, where Epic's CEO, Tim Sweeney, announced that Fortnite would soon return to iOS devices in the U.S.
On April 30, a U.S. Federal District Court in California ruled that Apple had deliberately violated a court order in the Epic Games v. Apple case. The order mandated that Apple allow developers to offer alternative in-app purchase methods to their customers. This ruling was a continuation of a long-standing battle between Epic and both Apple and Google, with Sweeney previously telling IGN that he had invested billions in challenging the app store policies of these tech giants, viewing it as a long-term investment in Epic's future.
Sweeney's goal is to circumvent the standard 30% store fees by distributing Fortnite through the Epic Games Store on mobile devices. This conflict led to Fortnite's removal from iOS in 2020. Despite Sweeney's recent announcement that Fortnite would return to iOS, Epic has now stated that Apple has blocked its Fortnite submission, preventing its release on the U.S. App Store and the Epic Games Store for iOS in the European Union. Consequently, Fortnite remains offline worldwide on iOS until Apple reverses its decision.
Epic's Tim Sweeney is determined to defeat Apple and Google, however long it takes. Photo by SeongJoon Cho/Bloomberg.
In a direct appeal to Apple CEO Tim Cook via Twitter, Sweeney wrote, "Hi Tim. How about if you let our mutual customers access Fortnite? Just a thought." This tweet underscores the urgency and frustration felt by Epic as it continues to lose significant revenue due to Fortnite's absence from iOS devices.
Following the court's decision, Apple was referred to federal prosecutors for violating the court order. U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers emphasized that such violations would not be tolerated, stating, "This is an injunction, not a negotiation. There are no do-overs once a party willfully disregards a court order." The judge also referred Apple's vice president of finance, Alex Roman, for a criminal contempt investigation, citing misleading testimony about Apple's compliance with the injunction.
In response to the ruling, Apple expressed strong disagreement and announced plans to comply with the court's order while simultaneously appealing the decision. Last week, Apple requested a pause on the ruling from the U.S. appeals court, indicating ongoing legal battles in this high-stakes dispute over app store policies and revenue distribution.
