Epic's Tim Sweeney: Fortnite Set to Return to U.S. iPhones After Nearly 5-Year Absence

Fortnite is poised to make a triumphant return to the U.S. iOS App Store and iPhones next week, following a pivotal court ruling, as announced by Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney. On April 30, a U.S. Federal District Court in California ruled that Apple had willfully violated a court order in the Epic Games v. Apple lawsuit. This order mandated Apple to allow developers to offer alternative payment methods outside their apps, bypassing Apple's standard 30% fee.

In response, Sweeney took to Twitter with a "peace proposal" for 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 proposal comes after years of legal battles between Epic and Apple over app store policies.

Sweeney's commitment to challenging Apple and Google's app store practices has been well-documented, with IGN reporting in January that he had invested billions in this fight. Sweeney views these legal battles as a long-term investment in Epic and Fortnite's future, asserting that Epic is prepared to continue this struggle for decades.

The core of Epic's dispute with Apple and Google revolves around the desire to bypass the standard 30% store fees on mobile game revenue. Epic aims to distribute Fortnite through its own Epic Games Store on mobile devices, free from the interference and fees of Apple and Google. This conflict led to Fortnite's removal from iOS back in 2020, and now, nearly five years later, it is set to make a comeback in the U.S.

Following the recent court ruling, Sweeney celebrated the decision on Twitter, declaring, "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."

Apple's violation of the court order has led to U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers referring Apple and one of its executives, Alex Roman, to federal prosecutors for a criminal contempt investigation. Judge Rogers criticized Apple's compliance efforts as "replete with misdirection and outright lies." Apple has stated its disagreement with the decision but will comply while pursuing an appeal.

Epic's legal victories have primarily been in Europe, thanks to the Digital Markets Act, which allowed the Epic Games Store to launch on iPhones in the EU and on Android devices globally last August. Despite these achievements, Epic faces challenges in getting Fortnite running smoothly on mobile devices, with "scare screens" deterring up to 50% of potential users.

The ongoing legal and financial battles have not been without cost for Epic. In September 2023, the company laid off 830 employees, about 16% of its workforce, from its North Carolina studio. However, Sweeney reassured stakeholders in October last year that Epic remains "financially sound," with both Fortnite and the Epic Games Store reaching new heights in "concurrency and success."