"Fortnite Set to Return to iPhones in U.S., Says Epic's Tim Sweeney"

Big news for *Fortnite* fans in the U.S.—the game is finally coming back to iPhones and the iOS App Store next week, thanks to a major court ruling. Tim Sweeney, CEO of Epic Games, confirmed the return following a landmark decision that could reshape how app stores operate.

On April 30, a U.S. Federal District Court in California ruled that Apple willfully violated a court order from the ongoing *Epic Games v. Apple* case. That order had required Apple to allow developers to provide alternative payment options within their apps—effectively bypassing Apple’s 15-30% commission fee on in-app purchases.

Sweeney took to social media to extend a “peace proposal” to Apple, signaling a potential truce after years of legal battles. He stated, “If Apple extends the court's friction-free, Apple-tax-free framework worldwide, we'll return Fortnite to the App Store globally and drop current and future litigation on the topic.”

This isn’t the first time Sweeney has gone all-in against tech giants. Back in January, IGN reported on his multi-billion-dollar legal war with both Apple and Google over mobile app store fees. At the time, Sweeney emphasized that this fight was a long-term investment in the future of Epic and *Fortnite*, confident that the company could sustain the battle for decades if needed.

Epic’s main issue has always been the 30% commission charged by Apple and Google on mobile revenue. The company wants to offer its own direct payment system through the Epic Games Store, without interference or fees from the app store gatekeepers. That dispute led to *Fortnite* being removed from iOS in 2020.

Now, nearly five years later, *Fortnite* is officially set to make its comeback to iPhones in the U.S.—a major win for both Epic and mobile gamers alike.

Tim Sweeney remains steadfast in his mission to challenge Apple and Google, no matter how long it takes. Photo by SeongJoon Cho/Bloomberg.

In another tweet, Sweeney celebrated the ruling with confidence: “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.”

The court didn’t stop at a simple ruling—Apple and Alex Roman, the company’s vice president of finance, were referred to federal prosecutors for criminal contempt. Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers made her stance clear: “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.”

Her written opinion pointed out that Roman’s testimony regarding Apple’s compliance efforts was “replete with misdirection and outright lies,” leading to the referral for possible criminal penalties.

Apple responded with a statement: “We strongly disagree with the decision. We will comply with the court’s order and we will appeal.”

*Fortnite* is officially returning to iPhones in the U.S., nearly five years after it was pulled. Photographer: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images.

For Epic, this marks a turning point after years of costly legal struggles. Until now, most of its victories had come in Europe under the Digital Markets Act. Last August, the Epic Games Store launched on iPhones in the European Union and Android devices worldwide, featuring titles like *Fortnite*, *Rocket League Sideswipe*, and *Fall Guys* for mobile.

However, getting *Fortnite* running smoothly on mobile platforms has proven challenging. According to Epic, so-called “scare screens” implemented by Apple and Google have discouraged up to half of users from downloading the game outside of traditional app stores.

The legal battle also came at a cost internally. In September 2023, Epic laid off 830 employees—roughly 16% of its workforce. However, by October of last year, Sweeney insisted the company was “financially sound,” with both *Fortnite* and the Epic Games Store setting new records in terms of concurrent players and overall success.