Fortnite Back on iOS: Epic Declares Final Battle With Apple

After a nearly six-year absence, Epic Games has officially brought Fortnite back to the Apple App Store worldwide, with one major exception: Australia. The massively popular battle royale is finally available to download on iPhones and iPads in almost every global market, ending a long drought for mobile gamers that began in August 2020 when Apple had removed the game for allegedly bypassing its platform fees. 

Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney declared this monumental relaunch the beginning of the "final battle" in Epic v. Apple. The company aims to permanently dismantle the restrictive payment barriers and commission fees placed on mobile developers by the tech giant. Epic explained that this calculated global return was triggered after Apple informed the United States Supreme Court that regulators around the world are closely watching the ongoing US legal case to determine what commission rates Apple may charge on purchases in huge international markets. 

Epic is banking on the expectation that once US federal courts force Apple to transparently disclose its actual operational fee structure and costs. Possibly, leading governments worldwide to no longer permit what the publisher calls "Apple junk fees", as per Gamingindustry.biz. 

Sweeney emphasized the gravity of the situation, stating that for years, Apple has fragmented iOS features and fees by territory, taken secret regulatory negotiating positions, and intentionally delayed the pursuit of justice. He called this a critical moment to win freedom for all developers and consumers, promising to fight in every jurisdiction worldwide until competition is restored to digital stores and payment markets everywhere.

Why Australia Remains Locked Out

Despite the global celebration, players in Australia are still locked out. Epic noted that Fortnite remains unavailable on iOS down under because the company refuses to operate under what it calls an "illegal payment arrangement with Apple." 

Even though Epic partially won a major court case in Australia, which determined that many of Apple's developer terms were unlawful, Epic claims the tech giant is simply ignoring the ruling. The developer says it will firmly hold its ground and delay the game's Australian return until a definitive court decision is reached, unless Apple steps up and agrees to adopt lawful payment terms first.

This ongoing fight to open up the mobile ecosystem is already seeing significant momentum around the world. Epic pointed out that regulators in Japan, the European Union, and the United Kingdom have all passed laws to address Apple’s anticompetitive App Store practices, though the developer argues Apple continually evades these laws with scare screens, fees, and onerous requirements. Still, real progress is happening for gamers. 

Just this month, the Epic Games Store launched in Japan following the rollout of the Mobile Software Competition Act. This follows the store becoming available on iOS for EU users back in September 2024, and its successful relaunch in the US after a district court ruled that Apple could not collect its controversial fees on app purchases made outside the App Store. Epic says it is now time for regulators to truly enforce these laws so that everyone can finally benefit from an open and fair mobile app ecosystem.