Epic Games has successfully reintroduced its popular battle royale game, Fortnite, to the U.S. App Store after a five-year absence. This important milestone comes after a long and public legal battle between Epic Games and Apple. The ensuing fight was largely over payment processing and developer fees in the App Store ecosystem.
Fortnite, the global gaming sensation that has taken the world—and teens in particular—by storm, has made the leap to mobile in a limited release on the App Store. This new player exclusive allows players to experience a 20% cashback offer. They can only receive this bounty when purchasing in-game items directly from Epic Games rather than through Apple’s in-app purchase platform. This innovative cashback offer completely reimagines how players can make in-game purchases. It provides them with increased flexibility and opportunity for more savings.
Big news, Fortnite is finally returning to the U.S. App Store! This great comeback is the result of a ruling by U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers. In her recent filing, Judge Gonzalez Rogers directed Apple to either approve Epic’s submission for Fortnite’s return or provide a legitimate legal reason for blocking it. This decision follows her earlier ruling, which mandated that Apple must permit developers to collect payments outside of the App Store without imposing fees.
The ongoing courtroom feud Epic Games vs Apple started in 2020. Epic subsequently launched its own payment method in Fortnite, directly violating the App Store’s rules and business model. In response, Apple kicked Fortnite off its platform entirely, causing an ensuing battle of court cases. The judge’s decisions have huge consequences for Epic Games and Fortnite. Additionally, they create a chilling effect on other developers who are trying to find better terms on which to monetize their applications.
Beyond the U.S. App Store, Fortnite lives on and continues to thrive on the Epic Games Store. There, it’s still the classic title that gamers can’t get enough of. On top of that, gamers in the European Union are now able to download Fortnite via AltStore, which extends its availability even further past conventional app stores.
This latest development not only reinstates Fortnite on a major platform but signals potential changes in the app economy, as developers gain more control over their payment systems. The resolution of this dispute may pave the way for greater flexibility in how digital products are sold and monetized across various platforms.