Epic Says Apple Barring Fortnite's US Store Comeback

Epic Games' persistent legal fight with Apple regarding Fortnite's future on iPhones and iPads has escalated further. The company now alleges Apple is deliberately blocking its app submission, preventing Fortnite's return to the App Store in the United States.

Earlier this month, Epic CEO Tim Sweeney announced that Fortnite would reappear on iOS devices in the U.S. within days, following a pivotal court decision in their favor.

On April 30th, a U.S. Federal District Court in California ruled that Apple had willfully violated a prior court order from the Epic v. Apple case. This order mandated that Apple allow developers to inform customers about alternative payment options outside of their apps.

In January, a report detailed how Sweeney has invested billions of dollars in challenging Apple and Google's control over their respective app marketplaces. Sweeney framed this expenditure as a strategic, long-term investment in Epic's and Fortnite's future, confident the company has the resources to sustain the battle for decades.

Sweeney's well-publicized struggle centers on relaunching Fortnite on iOS and Android while circumventing the standard platform fees. The core issue is Epic's refusal to pay the typical 30% revenue share on mobile game sales. The company aims to distribute Fortnite through its own Epic Games Store on mobile, free from Apple and Google's control and associated costs. This conflict originally led to Fortnite's removal from iOS in 2020.

Following Sweeney's announcement, many anticipated Fortnite's swift return to iOS, but that has not happened. Epic has since provided IGN with a new statement outlining the current impasse:

"Apple has rejected our Fortnite submission, preventing its release on the U.S. App Store and the Epic Games Store for iOS in the European Union. Consequently, Fortnite on iOS will remain unavailable worldwide until Apple reverses its decision."

This blockade represents a significant ongoing financial blow for Epic, which has forfeited billions in potential revenue since Fortnite was removed from iPhones five years ago. In a new move, Tim Sweeney has taken to social media to appeal directly to Apple CEO Tim Cook.

"Hello Tim. Perhaps you could allow our shared customers to play Fortnite again? Just an idea."

Hi Tim. How about if you let our mutual customers access Fortnite? Just a thought.

— Tim Sweeney (@TimSweeneyEpic) May 15, 2025

After the recent ruling, Apple was referred to federal prosecutors for contempt of the court order. U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers stated, "Apple’s continued attempts to interfere with competition will not be tolerated. This is an injunction, not a negotiation. There are no do-overs once a party willfully disregards a court order."

The judge referred both Apple and one of its executives, Vice President of Finance Alex Roman, for a criminal contempt investigation. She found Roman's testimony regarding Apple's compliance efforts to be "replete with misdirection and outright lies."

Apple responded to the ruling with a statement: "We strongly disagree with the decision. We will comply with the court’s order and we will appeal." Last week, Apple petitioned a U.S. appeals court to suspend the ruling from the Epic Games case.