Epic Games submits Fortnite to Apple after legal victory
2025-05-12 00:00- Epic Games submitted Fortnite to Apple's App Store on May 9, 2025, after a judge ruled in favor of the company in an ongoing legal dispute.
- The game's removal in 2020 stemmed from Epic's attempt to link out to its website for payments, circumventing Apple's commission fees.
- The new submission may enable Fortnite to return to iPhones, but Apple has the option to reject the app despite the recent legal victory.
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Insights
In the United States, Epic Games, the maker of Fortnite, recently took a significant step toward bringing its popular game back to the iPhone by submitting it to the Apple App Store for review on May 9, 2025. The submission followed a favorable legal ruling in Epic's ongoing antitrust battle with Apple, where a judge ruled that Apple could not charge a commission on direct payment link-outs from apps. The legal dispute began when Epic Games added a direct payment option to Fortnite in 2020, which violated Apple's policies and led to the game's removal from the App Store. Over the years, this conflict sparked a broader conversation about the fairness of app store commission structures and led to many developers seeking alternative ways to enable direct payments while avoiding high commissions imposed by Apple. Epic's submitted version of Fortnite is expected to offer users a choice between Apple's in-app payment system or direct payments through the Epic Games Store, allowing for potential bonuses through Epic's rewards program. While Apple has a history of approving about 90% of app submissions quickly, the company could still reject Fortnite's return, especially given the context of their ongoing legal dispute. However, rejecting the app may yield poor optics for Apple, as it could be seen as a retaliation against a competitor rather than a neutral appraisal of the app's content.
Contexts
The antitrust battle between Epic Games and Apple has emerged as one of the most significant legal disputes in the technology sector, highlighting issues related to digital marketplaces, platform monopolies, and the rights of developers and consumers. At the heart of the case is Epic Games' challenge against Apple's App Store policies, particularly its requirement that developers use Apple's in-app payment system, which involves a 30% commission on sales. Epic argues that this commission is not only excessively high but also stifles competition and innovation. The company initiated the legal dispute in August 2020 when it introduced a direct payment option in its popular game Fortnite, which led to Apple's swift removal of the game from its platform and set the stage for the ensuing legal battle. The legal proceedings began in a California court, revealing a complex interplay between antitrust law and the rapidly evolving digital economy. Epic Games has framed its argument as a fight for fair competition, stating that Apple's control over the App Store allows it to maintain a monopoly, which harms both developers and consumers. Conversely, Apple defends its policies as necessary for maintaining security, privacy, and quality within its ecosystem, arguing that the fees help fund the platform's development and safety measures. The case unraveled various facets of digital commerce, including how app stores operate, the nature of market competition in a digital realm, and the implications for consumers who rely on these platforms for access to services and games. The court's decision arrived in September 2021, ruling that while Apple was not considered an illegal monopoly, it was ordered to allow developers to direct users to alternative payment methods. This ruling was viewed as a partial victory for Epic Games, as it forced Apple to modify some of its App Store practices. However, the battle did not end there, as both parties appealed aspects of the ruling. The ongoing appeals process indicates that the outcomes of this case will likely shape the future of mobile app distribution, with potential ramifications for other tech giants and developers operating in similar ecosystems. As of May 2025, the implications of this antitrust case continue to be felt across the tech industry. Other companies are closely watching the struggle, weighing their own options for contesting the policies of dominant platforms. Additionally, lawmakers and regulators are increasingly interested in addressing issues of market power in technology firms. The Epic Games and Apple case serves as a pivotal moment in the discourse on competitive practices in the digital age, raising questions about the balance between innovation, user choice, and corporate responsibility in the growing digital economy.
